Something Happened to Our Mom: A Story about Parental Addiction

Claire's life turns upside down when her mom is in a car accident.

Although Mom's body heals in time, she doesn't seem like herself. Sometimes she doesn't go to work, and Claire has to take care of her younger brother, Emmett, more and more. When things take a turn for the worse, Mom tells the kids what's going on: She's become addicted to pain medication.

Told through a child's perspective and featuring a cast with a range of experiences, this much-needed resource aims to answer questions children may have about coping with addiction in their family. The story reassures readers that they are not to blame for what's happened, nor are they responsible for a parent's recovery. Includes an extensive Note to Parents and Caregivers with child-friendly language to help start difficult conversations about substance use disorders.

The Something Happened books present and explain sensitive and important events happening in communities across the United States and around the world. Told in clear, compelling stories, the books come with the authority of psychological expertise from the American Psychological Association.