Did you know that anxiety and depression isn’t just something adults face? Approximately 4.4 million children between the ages of 3 and 17 have been diagnosed with anxiety and approximately 1.9 million have been diagnosed with depression. Rates of childhood depression and anxiety have been rising in the last several years and yet there is little information and awareness surrounding it. In fact many adults still believe that children ‘can’t get depressed. When depressed or anxious your child may not have the expressive abilities to talk about their emotions. Children may also not be able to explain why they are suddenly crying. In Maya Johnson’s children’s book, It’s Okay the main character, Ivy, learns to express how depression affects her with the help of her parents who teach her a simple phrase: “It’s okay.”
Ivy’s parents engage her in discussions about emotions, guiding her to recognize her feelings and reassuring her that it’s perfectly acceptable to not feel okay.
My seven-year-old daughter connects deeply with Ivy’s journey. As an adopted child, I’ve observed her struggle with anxiety over the years. Research indicates that adopted children experience anxiety and depression at rates more than double those of their non-adopted peers. Additionally, my absence from her life for ten months due to Covid and my responsibilities caring for my adult disabled daughter has significantly affected her.
As parents, we must be ready to address our children’s health challenges, regardless of their magnitude, including mental health issues. Johnson emphasizes this point, reminding us that it’s acceptable to not be okay. There should be no shame or stigma attached to mental health struggles. I appreciate Maya for highlighting the importance of providing our children with emotional support and teaching them to recognize their feelings.
I wholeheartedly recommend “It’s Okay” by Maya Johnson to all parents of children aged six and older. It makes an excellent holiday gift. While children may not face the direct consequences of Covid-19, the indirect effects on their mental health must be acknowledged now more than ever. They need reassurance that “it’s okay.”
As a dedicated child caretaker and mother of three, I have witnessed Maya Johnson’s commitment to promoting children’s mental well-being through the impactful illustrations and narratives in “It’s Okay.”
About the Author
MAYA JOHNSON is a young, married, stay-at-home mom of three young children. She grew up in the city of Memphis, TN where she attended Cordova High School. Throughout her years in high school, Maya ran track and field and cross country. After graduating high school, she moved to Knoxville, TN where she obtained an Associate’s Degree in Chemistry from Pellissippi State Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Maya has enjoyed working with children, including working in daycares, being a camp counselor, and being a nanny. One of her passions is drawing. She has been drawing for years and has always dreamed of writing and illustrating her first children’s book.
For more information, please visit www.mayanjohnson.com. Or follow Johnson on Facebook – www.Facebook.com/themayanjohnson and Instagram: www.Instagram.com/themayanjohnson.