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booksaremagic's review
3.0
I have such mixed feelings about Wilkin's work. I absolutely love the little book We Help Mommy, but many of the others are not as inspiring. Her illustrations and descriptions of completely devoted, conscientious, helpful toddlers are both lovable and frustrating. I adore the set-up of the homes in these families and the orderly schedule of the little tykes' days. Goodnight Moon is another beloved book with a similar effect on me. However, my toddlers were not like these toddlers. There was not as much help in these books as I thought when I was only dreaming of having children. These kinds of books certainly did not prepare me for motherhood, wifehood, and juggling the real necessities of life today with trying to be a homemaker and mother.
Turns out babies and toddlers are hard to care for and to be patient with. Turns out one of my children was highly sensitive and one was diagnosed with autism. Turns out I felt huge pressure to go back to work when my kids were still young to help our family keep up a middle class lifestyle. Turns out I love teaching Special Education in middle school, but it also turns out my highly idealistic programs and schedules have always had to be tweaked for my real life sons and students.
This is not Wilkin's doing, but her work brings out strong feelings in me: part sentiment, part longing, part frustration, and part anger.
Turns out babies and toddlers are hard to care for and to be patient with. Turns out one of my children was highly sensitive and one was diagnosed with autism. Turns out I felt huge pressure to go back to work when my kids were still young to help our family keep up a middle class lifestyle. Turns out I love teaching Special Education in middle school, but it also turns out my highly idealistic programs and schedules have always had to be tweaked for my real life sons and students.
This is not Wilkin's doing, but her work brings out strong feelings in me: part sentiment, part longing, part frustration, and part anger.
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