(A/N: My motive in writing this was to rectify the problem of a complete absence of any material existing for the purpose of explaining plurality to children in any sort of positive, normalised light. Those few which do exist are execrable, patronising to their readers, and usually give doddering explanations along the lines of "Mean people did bad things to your mommy when she was little, so she had to make-believe in being other people who could take the bad stuff for her." I am not exactly experienced at writing for a young audience, though Azu says this is probably to my advantage. Please let me know how you think this could be improved.) Many People, One Body: A Book for Kids about Multiplicity If you have been wondering what it means to have a mother or father who is multiple, or what it might mean for you, or if it makes you feel worried, confused or afraid, this book is for you. Perhaps you may have heard that being multiple is a kind of sickness, a generally bad or unpleasant thing, something to be afraid of, or something which must be fixed. None of those are at all true. In fact, most multiples are really quite normal, and your parent is not at all different from any other in their ability to love and care about and protect you. For all intents and purposes, think of your body as being a home in which you live-- a sort of house for your mind. Most bodies have got one single person-- one person living in that house. The only thing which is at all unusual about your parent is the fact that they have got more than one person living in their house. If your parent seems to act quite different from day to day, it is most likely because you are actually seeing a great many different people! Now on their own none of those people would seem strange, but it can seem confusing and even frightening to see a parent go through such changes in manner before you know that these are many seperate people. If you find yourself feeling afraid of them, the best thing to do is to become acquainted with all the different people. Ask them their names, spend time with them, and invite them to tell you a bit about themselves. You may even come to be able to recognise them by their voices alone. Some of them may be about your age, some younger, some closer to your parent's age. Most likely you shall find that all of them care for you and love you, and none are frightening on their own. Think of it as living in a very large family! There are many places where it is quite normal for children to live with more than just a mother and father. The only unusual thing about your situation is that many of your family members live in just one body. All of these people are individuals like yourself, with their own names, preferences and hobbies. This can seem overwhelming at first, but in time, as you get to know the different people and live alongside them as part of your daily life, it will come to seem normal and usual. Now if your parent is going to see a counselor or a doctor, this does not mean they have got anything wrong with them, nor does it mean they are dangerous. Some multiples go to counselors simply because they're feeling rather sad or frustrated about something and cannot resolve it on their own-- the same reason many single people visit counselors. Some multiples go to speak with a counselor because a few of those different people just aren't getting along, or are having trouble talking to each other or sharing their memories. As with any group of people living in a single house, some of the people in your parent's body are bound to have their disagreements from time to time. Imagine if you were to live in the same body with your friends-- though you may be close and fond of each other, it would be nearly impossible to avoid disagreeing at some times. Like you and your friends, each of those people is a distinct individual in their own right. Because most people are not multiple, there are really not very many common words to describe the experience of multiplicity. A few you may find to be useful are: -'System.' Many multiples refer to the group of people who live in their body as a system. -'Fronting' or 'frontrunning.' The person who is 'up front' is the one who is in control of the body at a given moment-- the person whose words and mannerisms you see. -'Co-running.' It is quite common for multiples to have more than one person up front at once. Sometimes two or more will be present, and their behavior will reflect the characters of all the people who are at the front. -'Switching.' Switching means changing the person or people who are up front. Many multiples have invented their own words for things which happen in their system, because there were no words to describe them. If your parent uses a word you do not understand, ask them what it means, just as you would ask them the meaning of any unfamiliar word. Some children, especially those who are rather young, occasionally express concern about whether being multiple is contagious-- if they can 'catch' it, like a cold, from being around a parent. Multiplicity is no more contagious than having red hair or being left-handed is contagious. It simply is a part of who your parent is-- nobody is really sure why some people are multiple and others not, but we know that it cannot just 'happen' to someone all of a sudden. There are a great many fears and misunderstandings about multiples. This can make things especially difficult for children whose parents are multiple-- they may hear from others that multiples are crazy, or that they are dangerous and not to be trusted, or that the people in a system are all pretend. Do not be afraid to correct the assumptions and misunderstandings of other people, or to explain to them what living with a multiple is really like. A multiple system where everybody knows each other and works together can do all the same things that non-multiples can.