Growing up and parenting can both be hard. There are times where neither child nor parent are at their best. There can be tantrums, screaming, yelling and fighting cleaning up. We have all been there. Today we are sharing a board book and a picture book that deals with the issues of cleaning up and tantrums. The board book is The Clean-Up Monster by Eleni Tassopoulos Wehner and illustrated by Danamarie Hosler. It is recommended for ages 2 to 4.
About the Book:
Come along with Roscoe & Ivy as they face a big mess.It’s time for Roscoe and Ivy to clean up! But when they look at the task in front of them, there is just NO WAY they can do it. The toys are jumbled and the dough is mixed up. They don’t even know where to start! Roscoe and Ivy must work as a team to tidy the room, even when they discover their clean up methods are different. If they do a good job, they might just catch a glimpse of the Clean-Up Monster…
- Roscoe & Ivy series focuses on the daily life of a neurodivergent family
- Created by neurodivergent author and illustrator drawing from their own lived experiences
- Endnotes offer gentle guidance on tackling big tasks
From Me:
Mama tells Roscoe and Ivy it is time to clean up their toys. They feel a bit overwhelmed, but Roscoe gets going. He doesn't do it how Ivy would but at least it is started. Once the toys are put away, they get to see the Clean-Up Monster or what you probably call the vacuum.
Now the Roscoe and Ivy Series is about a neurodivergent family. The book shares a bit of their feelings in the clean-up process. Ivy gets overwhelmed and shows it with some of her behavior. Also, the family has things labeled as well as having a place for each kind of toys which helps neurodivergent kids.
At the end of the book there is a page (see below) that explains some of the things that are special in their behaviors and such due to being neurodivergent. It also explains that the vacuum is the Clean-Up Monster, but other things could be as well like a broom and dustpan. This book is perfect for neurodivergent families as well as neurotypical families. It shows ways to make cleaning-up more fun and easier as well as how to deal with different behaviors.
Our next book is a picture book that is perfect for every young child and parent. It helps remind the reader that everyone has tantrums and those tough moments and that we are not our behaviors. The book is Because of a Shoe by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Marla Frazee. It is recommended for ages 2 to 5.
About the Book:
Everybody has tantrums (kids and moms) in this tender yet funny picture book about an especially impossible-to-put-on pair of shoes—from New York Times bestselling author Julie Fogliano and three-time Caldecott Honor winner Marla Frazee, creator of The Boss Baby.Even when it’s time to put on our favorite shoes and leave the house, and even when that time turns into a tantrum where someone can’t stop screaming, or flopping on the floor, or throwing a shoe across the room, and someone is making their maddest face and everyone else is waiting . . . Even then, nothing can come between the loving bond of a mother and their child. Not even a shoe.
With expressive text from bestselling author Julie Fogliano and timeless art from three-time Caldecott honor medalist Marla Frazee, here is a story that takes readers through a downward spiral of a shoe-inspired tantrum and is a reminder that even in moments of frustration, we are always our most loveable selves.
From Me:
I remember the days when Hazel would refuse to wear something. It always seemed to happen when we wanted to get out the door. Let's face it sometimes being young is hard. You are told what to do and when to do it. You don't have much say in your own life. Add being tired or cranky and yes, tantrums happen. Parents dealing with the cranky, tired child having a tantrum can make the parent frustrated and perhaps he or she begins to yell or be short with the child. Neither person's behavior means anything about how they feel for the other. It is important to remember that frustrated or cranky behavior does not make a person.
Adults and children will relate to this book. Kids will probably find it funny with the craziness of the child to get out of putting on a pair of shoes. It goes into the child saying they will not get off the floor. They will stay on the floor even when working as an adult. Kids will love this!!
My favorite part is when the parent explains that the child's tantrum does not define them or mean that they are not loved or do not love the parent. The mom also explains that her yelling and frustration also does not mean she doesn't love the child.
After every tantrum comes the hugs and love. This book helps remind us that we all have those bad days and tantrums usually mean that the person needs something like a nap, a hug or just to calm down. It is such an important message for kids and parents to hear and remember.
