October 24th, 2015 by Kim

(this is the post from my Slovak blog that i mentioned in my earlier post – “a little update from Kim”)

There is a book we have at home,  a favorite of mine.  I have read it countless times to my 4 children (one who has needed it more than others), Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst.

It’s a funny book, but serious and very real at the same time. Because let’s face it, everyone has these kinds of days. It’s about perspective. Particularly, how one boy reacts when things don’t go his way. Alexander (the main character in the book) decides that when things go bad for him, he will move to Australia

When he wakes up with chewing gum in his hair, trips on his skateboard,  drops his sweater into the sink while the water is running, he declares, it is going to be a “horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day”. And it is.

At breakfast, although his brothers get prizes inside their cereal bags there is only cereal in his cereal bag.

At school his teacher doesn’t like his picture of the invisible castle, she criticizes him for singing too loud, and for leaving out 16 when counting. His mom forgets the dessert in his snack, his brother pushes him into a mud puddle and calls him is a crybaby. When he punches back in return,  his mom punishes him for being muddy and for fighting.

At the shoe store, they’re out of his choice of sneakers, so his mother buys him plain white ones, which he refuses to wear.

At home, they have lima beans for dinner (which he hates); there is kissing on TV (which he also hates).  Bath time becomes a nightmare (the water being too hot, getting soap in his eyes, and his marble going down the drain); and he has to wear his railroad train pajamas (which he hates). At bedtime, his night light burns out, he bites his tongue, and the cat chooses to sleep with his brother.

Throughout the book, Alexander’s response to his misfortune is “I think I will move to Australia”.  At the end, his mom declares that some days are like just that, even in Australia.

Yesterday, I needed that book read to me, or maybe better, I could have written my own version. It would go something like this:

One child spilled the entire bag of Cheerios when he opened it . . .the same one had to finish his homework before school. . .I was late for school/work. . . . .i didn’t have any cash to give him for his school trip  . . .

I knew it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day

I didn’t have time to eat breakfast . . .  I forgot to bring my coffee to work. . .  I scratched my shoulder and got blood all over my favorite white shirt. . . . the kids missed their bus to school. . . i yelled at them…. I got on the wrong bus and almost missed my train. . . .my feel were soaked from walking in the rain.

Yep, that’s right, a terrible horrible no good very bad day.

I was late again to the doctor’s appointment. . . one child got a “D” on an English test. . . I yelled at him. . the kids walked home in the dark (alone) after they missed the bus again. . .  i yelled at them. . . .once home one realized he left his phone on the bus. . . .i yelled at him. . . . . it is a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day.

I locked myself out of my house. . . .i forgot to take out the laundry and it soured inside the machine. . . . the dog peed on the carpet. . . the internet isn’t working again. . . .  I have a headache . . .my kids ate breakfast cereal for dinner.

I’ve heard  Australia is a nice place to live.