SELF-Love and Compassion
Petunia the Perfectionist follows a young girl who is determined to achieve perfection in everything, usually forgetting to relax and just have fun. What was the inspiration for your story?
My oldest daughter, now 11, and I have something in common: we are both perfectionists. We strive to be “perfect” in all we do, even at the cost of relaxing and enjoying life more. This has been something I’ve been working on since I was in my 20s, but seeing it in my daughter really hit home: I knew I needed to work harder at letting go of the need to be perfect, so I could model the importance of making mistakes — and learning from our mistakes — for my child. Truly, the book was deeply inspired by her first grade teacher, Ms. Bruce. On their first day of school, Ms. Bruce told the kids that she loves when students make mistakes, because every time you make a mistake, your brain grows. This helped us change the negative narrative around mistake-making, and taught us that making mistakes means we’re trying and learning new things!
Children today are often overwhelmed with social media and seeing “perfection” online, leading to an unrealistic view of themselves. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
While Petunia doesn’t have social media in Petunia the Perfectionst, I agree that this is a huge problem in today’s culture (not just for children, but for adults too!). As I was developing Petunia’s character, I really wanted to portray her as the ultimate perfectionist — the child who is so afraid to make a mistake, that she’ll forgo having fun with her friends and family to read, color inside the lines, practice her guitar for hours, etc. She desperately wants to be perfect. This extreme personality trait was important to me so that when she actually does make a mistake — and realizes that something GOOD comes from it — it makes a bigger impact on readers.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
One major idea I wanted to convey in Petunia the Perfectionist is the importance of having a growth mindset and understanding that mistakes don’t mean we’re failures, but rather that they give us an opportunity to continue to learn and grow. I also wanted to convey the importance of self-compassion. In this book, Petunia lets her friends off the hook for making mistakes, but she won’t do the same for herself. Why? Why does she extend more grace and compassion to others, but holds herself to a higher standard? I want readers to understand the importance of SELF-love and compassion, and know that it’s OK to offer those things to ourselves, too.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
To be determined — but when I’m able to share it with you, I will!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Petunia does not like to make mistakes. In fact, she’ll do just about anything to avoid making one. So instead of enjoying her jam sessions on her guitar, Petunia practices ‘til her fingers ache. And rather than creating art with her crayons, she spends her time color-coding them instead.
Petunia’s so busy trying to be perfect, there’s no time left in her life for being creative or having any fun!
Though Petunia’s mom often reminds her that mistakes are important because they help us learn and grow, Petunia’s not convinced. That is until she makes a mistake that inspires everyone…even herself.
Will Petunia finally understand that it’s okay to make mistakes, and begin to accept herself for who she is – imperfections and all?
This book is PERFECT for perfectionists (children and grown-ups!) and belongs in classrooms, libraries, and every child’s bookshelf.
Why readers will love Petunia the Perfectionist…
Promotes Growth Mindset. Teaches children to view mistake-making as an opportunity for growth and life-long learning.
Encourages Flexible Thinking. Helps children move from rigid, fixed beliefs about making mistakes to more flexible and positive ones; for instance, “People won’t accept/like/love me if I make a mistake,” to “Everyone makes mistakes, and I don’t think less of others when they do.”
Boosts Self-Compassion. Illustrates the importance of offering ourselves the same respect, grace, and kindness we’d extend to others if they made a mistake or faced a challenge.
Builds Resilience. Emphasizes the idea that we learn from our mistakes, which, in turn, helps build confidence and resilience, and gives us the courage to try again or even create something new from our error.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/06/03/self-love-and-compassion/
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