Storybook Therapy

Our kids recently wanted to watch Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. As is our custom, we tracked down the book before indulging in the movie. The library had the audio book on instant download which was great for us.

Shhh! Don’t tell, but I’m a homeschooling mom, and I hate reading out loud to my kids. I’ve hidden this major personality flaw by cultivating their love for well-written, then well-read audio books.

The first line, “I went to sleep with gum in mouth, and now there’s gum in my hair,” had my kids cracking up. They could relate to Alexander’s angst. The book is written with great humor which appeals to even adult readers, and has a predictable, repetitive structure which makes it a developmentally appropriate choice for children of all ages.

As the story progressed, my parent-trainer ears perked up.

1. Alexander was using respectful words to describe REALLY BIG feelings.
2. Alexander was able to describe his day as terrible, horrible, no good, and very bad.
3. Alexander learned that the grass is NOT always greener…even in Australia.

Then my mind started spinning on how I could use this book during a family nurture group or to help a child get through a tough day.

1. Read it just for laugh therapy. I’m betting my kids couldn’t get through it without laughing. It helps to shift that egocentricity to focus on someone else’s bad day.
2. Write your own. Get some paper and write <<Insert Child’s Name Here>>’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. This utilizes Dr. Dan Siegel’s “Name It to Tame It” philosophy.
3. Increase emotional intelligence. A couple of our kids have no clue how to identify emotions. No one ever taught them. It’s a really hard skill to learn as a teenager AND on your own rocky sea of emotions. Help your child identify which emotions Alexander may have felt due to the things that happened during his day.
4. Watch the movie together. It actually was a super-cute, family-friendly movie. I hated using technology and movies as family-bonding time for a looong time, but I’m realizing that our kids who struggle with attachment disorders need intimate family time in small doses. Family movie time does not trigger them, but allows us to all have a common experience without conflict. So for now, we’re embracing it since there are pretty much no other activities that allow us to do that.

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts about the book or the movie.