Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of motherhood with chronic illness is helping your children understand what is going on with your body and encouraging acceptance about how your illness may impact them. How can you help them develop empathy about what you’re experiencing, especially if your illness is invisible? Where’s the line between being honest and making them worry? What’s the best way to address their concerns in kid-friendly language? This is a topic that will likely need to be an ongoing discussion in your family – and sometimes reading a book together can help!
How Many Marbles Do YOU Have?
Helping Children Understand The limitations of Those With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia
By Melinda Malott
In this brightly colored book, a little boy explains to the reader that his mother has fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. He begins by saying that his mom is the best mom in the whole wide world, and then goes on to explain how she needs to rest more than other moms.
It turns out this family has a fun way to display how much energy she has each day – a jar of marbles. The concept is similar to the Spoon Theory, but this family uses a real jar of marbles to create a visual to help the little boy understand his mom’s energy level. Throughout the day, his mom removes marbles from the jar as they do fun activities together.
Whether you are living with fibromyalgia, CFS, or another chronic illness, this book can help kids understand that you may feel differently from day to day. The boy and his mom also explain how they are creative in finding ways to save marbles, and that in the end love is more important than marbles.
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