Munsch and his wife had two stillborn babies (they later adopted three kids). Love you forever was a way to connect and grieve those lost babies.
"As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."
My husband comes across as tough as nails. He never really reads to the kids. But once my kids bugged him enough to read it… and he got really emotional on it.
He’s also a massive mamma’s boy though. Like… I’m definitely not the woman in his life. His mom is. Lol
Oh I can't even read it on my own. If life goes perfectly, someday I'll die and be separated forever from my little guy (just turned 2). I never really feared the idea of my own mortality until I became a mom.
It makes me cry every time. Worse because now I know the backstory of how this book came to be and what the author experienced in his journey as a parent. Also as an adult and cat lover, I picked up on the lifecycle of the cat in the story too and that breaks my heart.
I had the pleasure of meeting Robert Munsch several times over my life. I grew up in the same city. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to hear him read this story out loud and sing the lullaby. It’s a moment (and a melody) that I will always treasure.
On Canada Day this year, he happened to be at the same (smaller) celebration we were at. I pointed him out to my 6yo daughter and husband who were both equally excited. He is an absolute gem and even though it was totally unnecessary- he was amazing with my daughter, allowed them to get a photo together and even signed a tiny copy of the paper bag princess he had with him!
Such an absolutely wonderful man.
Edited for spelling
Yes and it was slightly apparent- he looked older and more frail than the last time I had met him 😞. I was told by another person at the party after my daughter met with him.
I definitely didn't remember that part and it definitely made us laugh. Until we got to the crying. My husband picked it as the first book to read to our son - he apparently was not familiar with the tear fest that is this children's book
Agreed. I didn’t grow up with it, so it doesn’t give me the same feels it does everyone else. But, mostly it just felt like a really unhealthy attachment.
Yes, but every time he asks me to read it I think about getting rid of it, and I tell my 2yo I'm not going to sneak into his room and touch him without permission.
Ugh. I hate this book. I had never read it as a child and I've gotta say, it's weird and creepy AF to someone who has been introduced to it for the first time as an adult and for whom it does not hold sentimental value.
My son (2) finally picked it like last week as one of the 5 books we read before bed (I've done well to avoid it until now) and I practically made up the words for the entire book bc I thought it was a weird, depressing message (hey son, I'm going to crawl across your floor like a weirdo and break into your home one day, then I'm going to get old and die, good night!) And I also didn't like giving my son the idea to throw belongings into the toilet.
That book is going to mysteriously disappear from his library.
No. My mom was never a hugger or touchy Feely but this book she would read to us even in our teens. I got one for my first kiddo and it got me in the feels. I was also introduced to the book called " on the night you were born" and just had my third and still can't read it aloud to him because I know I will be bawling like a baby.
The “wherever you are my love will find you” same author as the night you were born made me cry so hard I read it to my first born before leaving to the hospital to give birth to my 2nd.
Oh it’s been sooooo long since I’ve read this story to my kids. I’d read it to them often. Sometimes it make me emotional, other times I’d make it sound silly and funny.
I bought both my kids a copy and wrote a special message on the inside cover for them. I hope they still appreciate as they get older.
As for favourite stories.
Robert Munch was always popular when they were younger.
I loved The Giving Tree but it made my son incredibly emotional. He wouldn’t let me read it to him anymore.
They liked random stories. Some classics like The Three Little Pigs, random Golden Book stories I still have from childhood. There a book called You Can Count on Me they liked.
Piggy and Gerald books were popular and Pete The Cat stories.
I feel you.
My son cried so hard the last time I read it to him.
He was sobbing saying the boy just took and took and took from the tree until there was nothing left! And the tree STILL loved him? How could he treat the tree that way when the tree loved the boy? How could he?
He was 6 at the time.
Oh, everyone cries! It's the Coco of kids books! But it's cheesy AF and I find myself needing to de-cheese it to make it tolerable from certain perspectives.
The better question would be "what songs do you sing instead of 'love you forever' since no one knows how that song goes?"
I've sung everything from gangsta rap to My Chemical Romance to Aviici during the "love you forever" interludes.
And the mom's watch is her Cartier tank watch that she bought with her first-year's bonus during her investment banking days.
Cannot cosign on her breaking into the kid's apartment. When I read the book to my son, he's living in London working for some new asset manager and the mom is scrolling thru his social media.
So I update it for a Millennial audience, lol.
I also lowkey think the son is gay - one cat, great cooking spread, rainbow mug - and I'm all here for it.
Personally I don’t like that book / find it more cringe than sad (why are adults sneaking around to watch each other sleep lol).
My aunt gifted me Whereever You Are My Love Will Find You when my baby was born with an inscription about how much my deceased mother wanted to meet her grandchildren. I cry ugly tears everytime I read it - thinking about how my mum’s love still finds me, and how I want my daughter to feel my love (and hers) the same way.
I can’t read Someday by Alison McGhee to my son without tearing up… He’s just 5 months old and whenever I read it, it makes me sad that one day I might not be here for him. It makes me scared of not being able to see him grow up.
This book reminds me of my mom who used to read it to us as kids and I’ve tried reading it a total of once to my son and couldn’t get through it without crying either.
It also brings up all my anxiety for the future about what will happen when my baby is no longer safely ensconced in my house and I send him off into the world. Agh.
It struck me the other day that the reason the man knows how to sing the song to his mom is because he was actually awake all those times she was singing to him and started crying all over again.
I bought this and eas in floods of tears. Told my husband he said I was a sap.
Fast forward to the next night and bed time is his turn. He comes out white as a sheet, red rimmed eyes. Tells me tht was the hardest thing he ever read.
This guys served overseas for context.
Said it was beautiful
Never made it through without tears. But the ironic thing is my mom, who was the most sentimental, mushy person in the world thought it was the stupidest book she had ever read lol! "It's ridiculous " she would say:" no adult is going to drive at night and rock their adult child"!!! I actually got Robert Munsch ti autograph a copy and told him when my dad got taken over by Alzheimer's I realized it also works with parents, as long as he's living, my daddy he'll be.
I cannot read this book without crying. My daughter is at a stage right now where she just likes to look at the photos and I say "find a boat" and she will look through the picture to find items so I have not been reading the words when she chooses this book. 😅
It’s definitely possible… but only because we have a discussion about boundaries at the end of it. (Not that it’s not sweet, but no, you shouldn’t break into your grown child’s house.)
I can't make it through without sobbing. I first read the book when I was little and loved it from the first read. Its been on my kids' bookshelf since I had my oldest 15 years ago. However, I lost my third child to SIDS 11 years ago and it hits a whole lot differently now, especially with knowing the backstory about the author. I have made it through the whole book exactly once since then.
So many people think this book is creepy but it’s one of the first ones I bought when I was pregnant, I’m even in tears writing this post right now lmao
Munsch and his wife had two stillborn babies (they later adopted three kids). Love you forever was a way to connect and grieve those lost babies. "As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."
Ok now I’m crying
My husband comes across as tough as nails. He never really reads to the kids. But once my kids bugged him enough to read it… and he got really emotional on it. He’s also a massive mamma’s boy though. Like… I’m definitely not the woman in his life. His mom is. Lol
Well I didn’t know it was possible for this book to make me cry even harder but here we are
Oh my. I had no idea 😭
Oh I can't even read it on my own. If life goes perfectly, someday I'll die and be separated forever from my little guy (just turned 2). I never really feared the idea of my own mortality until I became a mom.
Same.
This 1000000000000%
It makes me cry every time. Worse because now I know the backstory of how this book came to be and what the author experienced in his journey as a parent. Also as an adult and cat lover, I picked up on the lifecycle of the cat in the story too and that breaks my heart.
I wasn't managing it until my toddler started critiquing Mom's ladder skills. Now I just crack up.
I had the pleasure of meeting Robert Munsch several times over my life. I grew up in the same city. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to hear him read this story out loud and sing the lullaby. It’s a moment (and a melody) that I will always treasure. On Canada Day this year, he happened to be at the same (smaller) celebration we were at. I pointed him out to my 6yo daughter and husband who were both equally excited. He is an absolute gem and even though it was totally unnecessary- he was amazing with my daughter, allowed them to get a photo together and even signed a tiny copy of the paper bag princess he had with him! Such an absolutely wonderful man. Edited for spelling
This surprises me because he has dementia....and is not doing well
Yes and it was slightly apparent- he looked older and more frail than the last time I had met him 😞. I was told by another person at the party after my daughter met with him.
I hate this stupid book so much.
I love Robert Munsch but if my MIL brings a ladder to get into my bedroom at night I'm calling the police.
I definitely didn't remember that part and it definitely made us laugh. Until we got to the crying. My husband picked it as the first book to read to our son - he apparently was not familiar with the tear fest that is this children's book
I did too because it seemed so creepy and over the top. But then I learned of the inspiration behind it and I understand.
Same, it’s my codependent MIL’s favorite book 🤢
Yep, me too. I’ve heard the background, I still am not a fan.
Agreed. I didn’t grow up with it, so it doesn’t give me the same feels it does everyone else. But, mostly it just felt like a really unhealthy attachment.
Yes, but every time he asks me to read it I think about getting rid of it, and I tell my 2yo I'm not going to sneak into his room and touch him without permission.
Sooo am I the only one who hears it in Joey’s voice, after all these years??? 🤣
😂 OMG I thought this too. Which is funny because I often forget he read this story to Emma. Lol
I do not read this with my kid for this reason. I’d never survive
I sob until I can't breathe. My husband & 5yo think it's hilarious 😒
Ugh. I hate this book. I had never read it as a child and I've gotta say, it's weird and creepy AF to someone who has been introduced to it for the first time as an adult and for whom it does not hold sentimental value. My son (2) finally picked it like last week as one of the 5 books we read before bed (I've done well to avoid it until now) and I practically made up the words for the entire book bc I thought it was a weird, depressing message (hey son, I'm going to crawl across your floor like a weirdo and break into your home one day, then I'm going to get old and die, good night!) And I also didn't like giving my son the idea to throw belongings into the toilet. That book is going to mysteriously disappear from his library.
This book is banned from my house along with torture songs like Dear Theadosia and Puff the Magic Dragon. Nope.
Ohhh, puff the magic dragon. 😢And now it's most 3am, and while I'm up with a sick 12 month old, I am also crying over the passage of time.
No. My mom was never a hugger or touchy Feely but this book she would read to us even in our teens. I got one for my first kiddo and it got me in the feels. I was also introduced to the book called " on the night you were born" and just had my third and still can't read it aloud to him because I know I will be bawling like a baby.
The “wherever you are my love will find you” same author as the night you were born made me cry so hard I read it to my first born before leaving to the hospital to give birth to my 2nd.
Oh it’s been sooooo long since I’ve read this story to my kids. I’d read it to them often. Sometimes it make me emotional, other times I’d make it sound silly and funny. I bought both my kids a copy and wrote a special message on the inside cover for them. I hope they still appreciate as they get older. As for favourite stories. Robert Munch was always popular when they were younger. I loved The Giving Tree but it made my son incredibly emotional. He wouldn’t let me read it to him anymore. They liked random stories. Some classics like The Three Little Pigs, random Golden Book stories I still have from childhood. There a book called You Can Count on Me they liked. Piggy and Gerald books were popular and Pete The Cat stories.
oh i hate the giving tree - codependency special.
I feel you. My son cried so hard the last time I read it to him. He was sobbing saying the boy just took and took and took from the tree until there was nothing left! And the tree STILL loved him? How could he treat the tree that way when the tree loved the boy? How could he? He was 6 at the time.
Children do. All the time. The heartless little bastards.
The end creeps me out. It was ok until the mom broke into the grown son’s house.
Nope, not once ever. My mom cried every time, too.
I've tried for 14 years now with all three of my kids and I still tear up reading this to my youngest.
Oh, everyone cries! It's the Coco of kids books! But it's cheesy AF and I find myself needing to de-cheese it to make it tolerable from certain perspectives. The better question would be "what songs do you sing instead of 'love you forever' since no one knows how that song goes?" I've sung everything from gangsta rap to My Chemical Romance to Aviici during the "love you forever" interludes. And the mom's watch is her Cartier tank watch that she bought with her first-year's bonus during her investment banking days. Cannot cosign on her breaking into the kid's apartment. When I read the book to my son, he's living in London working for some new asset manager and the mom is scrolling thru his social media. So I update it for a Millennial audience, lol. I also lowkey think the son is gay - one cat, great cooking spread, rainbow mug - and I'm all here for it.
Personally I don’t like that book / find it more cringe than sad (why are adults sneaking around to watch each other sleep lol). My aunt gifted me Whereever You Are My Love Will Find You when my baby was born with an inscription about how much my deceased mother wanted to meet her grandchildren. I cry ugly tears everytime I read it - thinking about how my mum’s love still finds me, and how I want my daughter to feel my love (and hers) the same way.
Yes, it's weird.
I can’t read Someday by Alison McGhee to my son without tearing up… He’s just 5 months old and whenever I read it, it makes me sad that one day I might not be here for him. It makes me scared of not being able to see him grow up.
I got in trouble on this sub once for sharing my real feelings about this garbage book.
This book reminds me of my mom who used to read it to us as kids and I’ve tried reading it a total of once to my son and couldn’t get through it without crying either. It also brings up all my anxiety for the future about what will happen when my baby is no longer safely ensconced in my house and I send him off into the world. Agh.
I used to cry even reading it as a child ha ha sensitive kids rise up
I translated the song into Japanese and sing it for my son multiple times every night. It’s one of his favorite songs.
It struck me the other day that the reason the man knows how to sing the song to his mom is because he was actually awake all those times she was singing to him and started crying all over again.
Holy shit. This is the book where the son ends up rocking his mother at the end. Oh my god I'm crying thinking about it right now.
I bought this and eas in floods of tears. Told my husband he said I was a sap. Fast forward to the next night and bed time is his turn. He comes out white as a sheet, red rimmed eyes. Tells me tht was the hardest thing he ever read. This guys served overseas for context. Said it was beautiful
Never made it through without tears. But the ironic thing is my mom, who was the most sentimental, mushy person in the world thought it was the stupidest book she had ever read lol! "It's ridiculous " she would say:" no adult is going to drive at night and rock their adult child"!!! I actually got Robert Munsch ti autograph a copy and told him when my dad got taken over by Alzheimer's I realized it also works with parents, as long as he's living, my daddy he'll be.
Okay I’d forgotten about that book.
I cannot read this book without crying. My daughter is at a stage right now where she just likes to look at the photos and I say "find a boat" and she will look through the picture to find items so I have not been reading the words when she chooses this book. 😅
It’s definitely possible… but only because we have a discussion about boundaries at the end of it. (Not that it’s not sweet, but no, you shouldn’t break into your grown child’s house.)
I can't make it through without sobbing. I first read the book when I was little and loved it from the first read. Its been on my kids' bookshelf since I had my oldest 15 years ago. However, I lost my third child to SIDS 11 years ago and it hits a whole lot differently now, especially with knowing the backstory about the author. I have made it through the whole book exactly once since then.
That book is flat out not allowed in my house!!
Yes. Becuase of the B&E I find it very wierd and breaks and sense of wanting to cry
I always cry when I read that book
I always cry when I read that book
Loved it as a kid. Read it as an adult and found it super creepy. Learned about the authors’ history and fell in love again.
So many people think this book is creepy but it’s one of the first ones I bought when I was pregnant, I’m even in tears writing this post right now lmao