Love You Forever Explains Parenting In Real Life

The sweetest little book came into our house at some point recently. I can’t remember if it arrived for a birthday, Christmas or something else. Regardless, Love You Forever by Robert Munsch has been waiting to be read for a while. With a cute baby on the front destroying a bathroom and a synopsis on the back describing the “enduring nature of parents’ love and how it crosses generations,” I expected a sort of generic sappy baby tale.

I did not expect to start sobbing on page two and sniffle, wheeze and sob inconsolably by the end. I don’t say this disparagingly. Quite the contrary. I don’t think this actually should be a children’s book. In fact, I think it should be required reading for all parents. For the bad days when you think, “Why do I have so many kids?” You need to go take a few minutes to read this book. For those nights when you think, “If they do not go to sleep I am going to scream!” You need to take a few minutes and read this book.

The disparity in the way the world revolves when you are a parent versus the way it revolved before you were one, is difficult to explain to someone who does not have children. This book nails it in a simple tale of love, motherhood and childhood. It is one of the simplest, but most beautiful books I have ever read and now I’m crying again.

Written by Gidge, who is a mother of a 5 year old boy and 3 year old twin boys. A transplanted Hoosier, die-hard Colts fan and professional call center manager, she likes long walks on the beach, penguins and playing ping-pong. Her turn-ons include sleep and silence. Read all about her life here.