When My Mommy Cries: A Story to Help Families Cope with Sadness

When My Mommy Cries: A story to help families cope with sadness is an important and deeply poignant children’s story written by Crystal Godfrey LaPoint and illustrated by Crystal Eldridge.

LaPoint presents a simple story where a young child is subjected to her mother’s emotional ups and downs as she struggles with depression. Being a child, the young girl blames herself that her mother is crying. Although LaPoint deals with difficult subject matter, she eloquently makes this story easily readable. The illustrations are intensely impressionable with brilliant form and colors. LaPoint’s central theme is an important point to children of parents who suffer with depression. The children are not the cause of the sadness. Not only are the emotions of the mother in the story explored, but how the child feels, her fears, her emotions as she witnesses the emotional turmoil of her mother, is also addressed. When My Mommy Cries is very moving as the mother reassures her child that just because she is sad, her love for her is immutable. An audio CD is also included. LaPoint’s story is a tremendous work for a little book. For most people, depression is not easy to talk about. Articulated with ease and simplicity, LaPoint demonstrates her talent as she takes what could be scary to a young child and delves into their emotions assisting both parent and child to exchange open dialogue and work through their emotional issues. What really works for this story is the discussion and exchange between the mother and child. The child attempts to make her mother happy and, despite her efforts, the sadness still exists from time to time. The mother’s love for her child is passionate and strong. She reassures her little girl so she does not blame herself, and it makes for quite a compelling read.

Beautifully written with magnificent illustrations, When My Mommy Cries is a great children’s book for any youngster struggling to cope with a family member’s sadness or depression.