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When Grown-Ups Forget the Rules
Paperback
Series: You're Not Alone: Stories for Kids with Big Feelings
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Jul 2 2025
Pages: 26
Weight: 0.24
Height: 0.07 Width: 8.50 Depth: 11.00
Language: English
When Grown-Ups Forget the Rules was written to support children whose caregivers - often parents - have broken the rules of trust, safety, or presence because of addiction. For many children, this experience is filled with conflicting emotions: love and anger, loyalty and disappointment, hope and heartbreak. This story is not meant to explain everything, but to open the door for gentle, honest conversations and emotional validation.
Children in these situations often:
Blame themselves for the adult's behavior
Try to fix or care for the struggling adult
Feel confused by inconsistent affection or presence
Bottle up emotions to avoid making things worse
This book gently reminds them:
None of this is their fault. They are not responsible for fixing it. They deserve to be safe, heard, and loved.
We encourage you to:
Read the book with the child at their own pace
Ask open-ended questions like, How do you think Maya felt here? or Does anything in this story remind you of something?
Validate all emotional responses - even silence or anger
Provide a safe space for ongoing dialogue
If you're a grandparent, foster parent, teacher, therapist, or temporary guardian, your role matters more than you may ever know. Your patience and presence are helping this child build resilience, trust, and a sense of worth that will carry into their future.
With care and solidarity,
Cassie Speakes
Author
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