Anyone else creeped-out by the 'Love You Forever' book?

[mamicka]

I find the story really disturbing but keep hearing about how great it is... the best baby book ever... how it makes people cry its so sweet.

Am I the only one?

[christic]

I don't know Love you Forever, but I will admit to HATING another beloved classic--Guess How Much I Love You. Just seems like the big bunny is playing a game of one-upmanship with his little bunny. Especially when he even has to get in the last word after little nut brown hare is asleep! And we have about 20 copies, all from dear friends who adore it.

[MelissaTC]

It does creep me out, when he is carrying his mother to bed. I love the idea of the book but that particular part creeps me out. I don't want to be thinking of myself in that state as I read a story to my baby. I mean, hey, it will probably happen. But I don't need to be reminded of it!

[mamahill]

While it IS weird that she follows him to his house, I do like the underlying sentiment. Plus, it was a book that my aunt introduced to us, and she passed away when my cousin and I were 13. It makes me grateful that I still have a mom around who cares for me, and I her.

[deborah_r]

I think it may be one of those things that adults read too much into - we look at the literal details and think "creepy". But I don't think kids see it the way we do. I mean, when I read The Cat in the Hat I think "why has the mom left them home alone all afternoon" and when the mom is coming home they show her coming up the walk, but then pages and pages go by before she actually comes home. But kids don't seem to notice those details.

[starrynight]

Yes Sarah, that part creeps me out the most!! Although I agree with the sentament, I will love my children forever and it's so nice to snuggle them now and sing to them etc. But it's odd how she always waits until he is alseep, can't she show him she loves him when he is awake??

[barbarhow]

Thank you! I have kept quiet about this one. I always thought it was just me. My mother has really poor boundaries si I thought that was why. I mean what the...she drives across town, climbs into her grown sons bedroom? Where is his wife and what the heck is she doing there?
I am totally with you.
I like the beginning of the story but I am also not a fan of the illustrations either. Oh well.
Barbara-mom ti Jack 3/27/03

[egoldber]

I agree. I think that kids, especially young ones, love these books. For some reason, "The Runaway Bunny" freaks me out more than "Love You Forever".

And I have to agree about "The Cat in the Hat". As an adult, I keep thinking what was that mother in "The Cat in the Hat" thinking! I want to call CPS on her! :) But of course that never bothered as a child. Or even as a teenager when I was reading it to my neice and nephew.

[Momof3Labs]

I dislike Guess how much I love you for the same reason!! Glad to hear that I'm not the only one!

[jesseandgrace]

I am so with you. Obviously the sentiment is nice, but it is way over the top creepy. I would get rid of it if we had it :).

Jennifer

[AngelaS]

Yeah, it's kinda creepy. Don't write off Robert Munsch as an author tho--he's written MANY other books and many of his are our favorites!

As for CPS and the Cat in the Hat.... My former boss (a pediatrician) hated the Carl books because the mom always leaves the baby in the care of a rotteweiler. LOL

[sntm]

I know! I love the Carl books, anyway.
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[jojo2324]

LOL, I never understood that about Carl!! :)

I've honestly never read I Love You Forever, but have heard it. (Anybody catch Joey's reading on Friends a while back? They skipped the part about mom climbing into bed though...)

And I love Guess How Much I Love You...I just think it's so sweet. But I can see the one-upping point.

[McQ]

I do cry when I read it but I am creeped out by it too. It makes me very sad to think about the inevitable. What bothers me in addition to what's been mentioned above is that "as long as you're living part". I'll always be Declan's mommy and him my baby. That's not contingent on living ~ love transcends.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

[Piglet]

Robert Munsch is our family favourite, but I don't like Love you Forever - mostly because it is over-the-top sentimental. I don't like books that make me cry for the sake of making me cry. Never thought of it as creepy, but I could see it. Check out Mortimer, David's Father, the Paperbag Princess, or my son's favourite - Purple, Green and Yellow. Robert Munsch is a really great read!

The one that I can not stand is the Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. It is also over-the-top sentimental and the gist of it is that our children should live because we die for them (or am I reading too much into it?). We got that before DS was born and I haven't read it once to him. Also the picture of Shel Silverstein on the back gives me the heebie-jeebies.

[AngelaS]

The Paper Bag Princess is a MUST HAVE for EVERY baby girl!

[picklepeep]

Message has been removed by author.

[KMommie]

I'll second The Paper Bag Princess recommendation!!

I totally understand why people are creeped out by Love You Forever, and I admit, I've only flipped through the book at the bookstore. BUT, I think if you read this author, Munsch a lot...he just has a really bizarre sense of humor. IMHO, he just takes things to the extreme to be funny. For instance, another book of his I LOVE is Stephanie's Ponytail. It's all about copy cats and a little girl getting her revenge on the whole school (children,adults, animals included). I read this story to my first graders every year, and then we would have a class discussion about individuality, and why some people copy each other, feelings that the copied and the copier might have, etc. The story really illustrates the whole "if so and so jumped off a bridge, would you too?" It's what you'd LIKE to happen when someone is copying you...to the nth degree.

YES, breaking into the house and climbing into your grown child's bed is creepy at face value...and I don't think we parents would EVER think or do this. I look at it as a very graphic illustration to what ends we (as parents) would go to show our children that we do LOVE them FOREVER.

That said, I think my distinction would be lost on DD, and I don't have plans of ever buying this book or putting it on her wish list. :P

Again, just my humble opinion!

Jeannie
mommy to Kiki 4/18/03

[Piglet]

We (DS and I) love Stephanie's Ponytail - I forgot all about that one. My son called it "ugly, ugly" for the longest time and I was afraid that if he saw a girl with a ponytail in the store or somewhere, he would yell out "ugly, ugly". So far we have managed to avoid that :)

I have a cassette of Robert Munch reading a bunch of his stories to a school class and Love you Forever is one of them. The kids laugh so hard when he gets to the part about the mom picking up her grown son - kids get things on a totally differnt level than we do. They think it is hilarious and we find it creepy, go figure, LOL.

[amp]

Oh, I used to love The Giving Tree until my husband pointed out that it was just depressing. I had to actually give it away after that. Never did see it in the same light again!

[doubleL]

This is an unexpected funny and informative thread. I received Love You Forever when I was pregnant with DS. I was in school at the time and one of my professors gave it to me. I cried hysterically reading it, (but I cry about EVERYTHING when I am pregnant) was completely creeped out, put it away, and have not read it since. I had no idea about the author's background and find it hilarious that the kids get this when we don't. I guess I really DON'T have a good sense of humor (see: Why can't I post like I talk). :)

Lou
~DS 5.01
~DD 6.03

[stillplayswithbarbies]

>The Paper Bag Princess is a MUST HAVE for EVERY baby girl!


And for every baby boy too, if you're raising him right. :)

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[kristine_elen]

I haven't read this book but saw a post a while ago about it (someone looking for it and describing it b/c she couldn't remember title) and I remember thinking, "OK, that is TOTALLY weird." I suppose it has a nice underlying message, though (parents love their children).