A children’s book that tackles addiction has been published. Piggy Pie’s Pickle Problem is a simple yet appealing story that can help both children and families understand what a loved one is going through.
The main character in the story is Piggy Pie, who suffers from a terrible addiction to pickles. The more he eats his delicious pickles, “pickle bumps” start growing all over his body – but can’t stop feeding into his addiction. The real lesson in the story is the importance of finding balance and moderation in life. Whether it’s video games or candy, too much can hurt – and it is hard to stop once it has become a habit. Perhaps this can illustrate to a child why mom or dad has difficulty with an addiction. It is definitely a way to open the door to discussion about a family member spending time in addiction recovery.
The inspiration for the story came from the author Gwen Tatera’s experience as a first grade teacher. Tatera said in an interview, “There was a boy in class with calluses on his hands and bags under his eyes. I asked him why he was so tired and he said he was playing video games until midnight. I was alarmed. It made me realize that there are problems with addiction for children.”
The importance of creating a balanced life is deftly illustrated in this book, which will be understood by everyone in your family. Once the reader has grasped the problem represented by “pickle bumps,” perhaps some changes in their own lives can begin. A newfound compassion and understanding for the addicted family member may develop. Individuals who enjoy successful recovery start new activities, habits and friendships to replace the old destructive ones.
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