By Kenneth Mullinax/ASU
Alabama State University professor Dr. Linda J.M. Holloway recently penned two books for children on the subjects of death and divorce. Her books are titled “Little Miss Linda Copes with Divorce” and “Little Miss Linda Speaks out About Death.”
Holloway, who teaches in the College of Education, is also a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves Medical Service Corps.
Holloway explained that she wrote the two non-typical children's books to explain the idea of loss for children. Her works could be used by parents and guardians, as well as by professionals such as mental health and social workers, teachers and education administrators in their efforts to help children cope with their parents’ divorce or with the death of a beloved family member, friend or pet.
"While we are all faced with death - and some with divorce - I thought writing books targeting children concerning the two subjects would act as a tool to allow adults to more easily start a discussion with them about the issues, which are challenging for children to understand," Holloway said. "Many children have issues and emotional insecurity when either subject of loss occurs in their lives and with the holidays coming upon us, these issues can be even more difficult for them to understand and cope with in their young lives."
Holloway believes that both issues can cause some children an inordinate amount of grief, and her goal with both books is to help them adjust to difficult situations in their lives.
"When it comes to death, children have to learn to live without that person or pet no longer being in their lives, and with divorce, they must be able to navigate the loss of both parents no longer being together with them at home. Either scenario is tough on a child's mental well-being. So, it is my goal in writing these books to more properly attend to their mental status and help them better cope with either or both issues," stated Holloway.
Data informs us that more than half of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. As a result, divorced couples’ children may be left with a wide array of negative emotions ranging from depression and loneliness to anger and aggression.
Children also may have difficulty coping with death, not only in their families, but also due to the prevalence of reports related to death caused by street violence, drug overdoses and mass shootings at schools.
Holloway shares that children’s negative emotions are more hurtful, troublesome and problematic at holiday times like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
She explained that both books include something that she terms as "Learning Out Loud" questions that allow for discussions between the child and a parent/guardian or a counseling professional. She added that to help lighten the darker aspects of both books, she inserted ideas on how to conduct "scavenger hunts" which help the children find answers pertaining to their specific family issue.
"In our western culture, holidays are centered around family and when kids lose someone or even a pet in death or a changed status with a parent in the case of a divorce, it causes issues and problems that if not explained, understood and properly dealt with, can trigger negative issues and problems to happen in their young lives," Holloway quipped. "It is the purpose of both of my books to help alleviate these issues with children."
Both books are available for sale on Amazon.