Have you met her? She might be living in your neighborhood, that is if you can spot a little brown upside down house in a tangly garden, swarming with children.
Many years ago, 77 years ago to be exact, a gifted author by the name of Betty MacDonald penned this endearing little book. Was it written for children? Adults? We are not sure. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, a fount of wisdom for struggling parents, dispenses some of the most down to earth, outlandish child rearing techniques, and this without a degree in Child Psychology.
The story line in each chapter follows a theme. A desperate mother is dealing with a recalcitrant child. For instance? Hubert Prentiss refuses to pick up his toys and has trapped himself in his bedroom, model trains and building blocks jamming the door shut. Hubert could care less but his mother is coming unhinged. She makes desperate calls to her parenting friends and is told to seek Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s wisdom. Her solution? Give the child a chance to experience the consequences of his stupidity, and he will come around.
“But how will he eat?” asks Hubert’s mother. “His room is upstairs.”
“Just spear the food on the garden rake and tie the hose on the side. Poke the rake through the window. He will survive.”
Surely enough, after a few days of this, Hubert hears his friends parading by his house, on their way to the circus. And he realizes that he can’t join them. He’s jammed into his room with all those toys. His only way out is to put everything away in its place. Problem solved!
And so it goes. The Answer-Backer Cure for Mary, involving a very rude parrot . ”I’ll do it because I want to, not because you tell me to.” The Selfishness Cure, for Dick, who must label every possession, “This is Dick’s. Don’t touch.” The Radish Cure, for Patsy, who refuses to bathe until her parents seed her arms and wait for the harvest When she begins to sprout, she is ready for the tub. Brilliant.
I highly recommend this absurd little book, an old favorite of mine. Extreme measures of childhood discipline, but some underlying principles of refreshing common sense, and lots of giggles.