Social Media Thinks the Children's Book 'Love You Forever' Is a Boy Mom's Nightmare
A book about a mother's unconditional love for her son has the internet up in arms.
Published July 17 2024, 4:29 p.m. ET
The internet can't seem to agree on whether the children's book Love You Forever is the perfect nighttime read for little boy moms or the beginning of many conversations with a licensed therapist.
The book, written by Robert Munsch in 1986, is akin to many revolving X (formerly Twitter) conversations. In the story, a mother sings her son to sleep with a lullaby that includes her saying, "I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living my baby you’ll be.” Adorable, right? Well, many moms on social media feel otherwise.
So, why doesn't everyone love Love You Forever? Here's what to know.
Robert Munsch, author of 'Love You Forever'
The 'Love You Forever' controversy explained.
The latest Love You Forever debate began on July 16, 2024. On X, a user, @tedoffthegrid, posted a photo of her crying and holding the book, the cover of which shows a boy smiling next to a toilet as he plays with toilet paper.
"I tried to read this to my kids at the bookstore and had to leave the whole place 'cause I was crying so hard," Teddy posted.
After seeing the photo, another X user, author Amber Sparks @ambernoelle, reposted Teddy's picture and slammed the book, saying she felt it perpetuates unhealthy relationships for moms and their sons.
"Omg I hate this book so much, it’s like the creepiest proto-boy mom book ever," the user declared in a since-deleted post.
Amber wasn't alone in her disgust for Love You Forever. Many users admitted they've always thought the book was "weird and creepy," especially the part where the mom in the story uses a ladder to climb up to her adult son's window to rock him to sleep with the lullaby.
Despite the hatred, the book remains a popular choice for parents of little ones.
