On Writing a Children’s Book

By: Paige Sutter, LPC

A lot of people have asked me why I chose to write a children’s book. I have always dreamed of being a writer, but it was never on my radar to write for kids. It was never even on my radar to work with kids. And then I became a school-based counselor and a bonus mom to three kids of my own. There is no doubt in my mind that God has a sense of humor!

Working in school-based counseling was simultaneously one of the hardest and most rewarding experiences I have ever had. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, and there were times that I wanted to bang my head against a wall. But it was also beautiful to see just how much some of those kids needed an hour of uninterrupted attention. I saw kids re-enter the traditional classroom environment after a year of needing one-to-one supervision. I saw kids finally break down the walls that they worked so hard to create and find the words to share what was behind them. I also saw kids who tried as hard as they could but could never quite control their emotions in the moment. I saw cycles continue to occur in families, despite best efforts by myself and everyone else around them. And I saw kids continue to hurt and struggle with circumstances that were not in their control.

Writing My Head is Full of Yarn was my way of creating the magical therapy experience that I wish I could have had with every one of those kids. Bella was lucky that she could visit Ms. Joy each week, learn the exact coping skill she needed, and then implement it to perfection. In reality, counseling children is typically a longer process that requires a LOT of trust-building and trial-and-error. Many times, there is good progress, but not without plenty of learning and adjusting along the way. I have had all of the conversations that Ms. Joy had with Bella with my own clients, and then they come back the next week and look at me blankly when I ask them if they tried out their new coping skill. But we practice and process again, and again, and again, and then one day they have that magical moment. And THAT is what makes it all worthwhile.

My hope is that Bella can share a little bit of hope with the families that she encounters. All of the tools in this book might not be helpful for everyone, but if a small piece of the puzzle fits, I count that as a win. I hope that she makes counseling seem a little more normal and a little less intimidating, and I hope that she can share some ideas that might be helpful for parents and teachers to try. Most of all, I hope she sends the message that it is okay to have those big emotions, and there are people willing to help you sort them out if you give them a chance!

To purchase My Head is Full of Yarn on Amazon, click here.