Take a Break Books: Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild!
Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild! by Mem Fox
This might be my favorite book of all time. I also think it’s suuuuuper helpful in a time like this. Anyone’s child(ren) driving them wild??
Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild! is a story about a mother and daughter navigating a day full of messes. The mother does her best to hold in her frustration with Harriet’s mistakes, but it’s just too much. She yells. Harriet cries. Ultimately they are okay. It’s a sweet story and I highly recommend adding it to your home library.
Here’s why I love this book so much:
It perfectly depicts the impulsiveness of small children - things happen “juuuust like that.” Books are a great way to process experiences and normalize emotions and behaviors with your child.
The mom tries so hard to keep her cool and ultimately loses it. Been there? This should help normalize these situations for you. It also shows your child that adults make mistakes too.
Harriet and her mother repair and reconnect beautifully after a tough moment. Harriet’s mother apologizes, acknowledges Harriet’s hurt feelings, and recognizes her behavior as unintentional. She vows to continue trying to do better.
All children make mistakes. All children act impulsively. Some more often than others. It’s just how they were made. It’s okay. “Harriet was a pesky child. She didn’t mean to be, she just was.” How we respond to our children’s mistakes makes a huge impact on their lives and how they develop their sense of self. We have to be understanding and offer guidance. It’s not easy and I most certainly do not expect perfection! I fail often.
We are all going to be faced with multiple parenting challenges throughout each day. Heck, each hour! It’s impossible to keep it together forever. You will yell. You will speak more harshly than you’d like. You might say or do something that you regret or feel guilty about. That’s parenting. The important thing to do is make amends, reconnect with your child, take care of yourself, reflect on the situation, and make a plan to do better next time. This is beautiful modeling for your child and the path toward a healthy parent-child relationship.
If you feel like you are flailing or yelling too often or need an unbiased professional to offer you some support, I’m here.
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