One of my favorite children’s books is ‘I Love You Forever’ by Robert Munsch.  Its story of how enduring a mother’s love is through all the stages of her child’s life touches me deeply and really resonates with how my own mother had shown me affection and reassured me throughout that I was loved.

Late last year was a busy time for my son and the rest of our little family.  His baby sister was born, the Christmas season was in full swing and the routine that he had been used to suddenly was non-existent!  It worried my husband and I that he would find all these changes hard to handle--being a creature of habit from birth, but we hoped that the preparation we had done with him and talks we had for many months would be enough.  

It was sad but of little surprise to us that after the holidays, our independent four-year old started crying as we would bring him to school.  He started to become a little bit more difficult to deal with—seeking attention whether good or bad, and becoming clingier to me than normal.  We came to the conclusion that there were probably just too many changes for him in the last few months and he was having trouble coping.  Our little boy, who had been the only child in our family for four long years, was becoming insecure.

Amidst all the talking and the positive reinforcement, he still was having a hard time coping.  It was by some stroke of luck that one night, as I was looking for a bedtime story for him, I found my copy of “Love You Forever”.  Though I had read it to him in the past, I sensed that he was taking the story differently this time around.  He seemed to be relating to the little boy a little bit more and the story somehow gave him comfort.  He started asking questions about it and opening up a little more about still being loved even if the little boy was big already.  I knew it had struck a chord.

In the next few weeks after that I would always remind him of the little boy in the story.  I used the song in the book to reinforce how he was still loved and appreciated, and it worked.  Little by little, my son went back to his old happy and secure self.  Every now and then though, I still remind him so he never forgets.  I change the words to suit what he is going through and it puts a smile on his face.  ”So the little boy grew, he grew and he grew and he grew.  But at night when he lays in bed asleep, mama rubs his hair and kisses his head saying ‘I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be”.  

Nowadays it’s my son’s turn.  He looks to his baby sister when she is asleep or when they are quietly playing and says, “Arianna, I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as I’m living, my sister you’ll be.”

I just love this book.  I really do.