One book I love that features a mother and her son is The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown, the same author who wrote the ubiquitous Goodnight Moon. Published in 1942, a little bunny decides to run away from his mother, who tells him she will go after him.  If he becomes a rock, she will become a mountain climber to reach him, if he becomes a fish, she will become a fisherman.  It is the story of a mother’s unconditional love for her child.

Tyler has had the book since he was a baby but as he gets older, the story has more meaning for him. He recognizes the similarities of the illustrations to Goodnight Moon, but he also is starting to understand what the book means.  Whenever he sees a big animal with a little one he’ll say, “That is Mommy and that’s Tyler”, and this story is no exception.

Sometimes when he is upset, especially if he does not want to separate from me, such as when he goes to daycare, I will call him my Little Bunny.  “Mommy always comes for her Little Bunny, and her Little Bunny always comes home to her.”  It calms him.  I know my whole life I will do anything for my son and I hope that no matter how old he gets he will know that he can always come home to me.