Reading the Book Mean Soup

Last night, I read Mean Soup with my child before bed. It is a simple yet touching story about a little boy named Horace who comes home feeling angry and upset after a bad day. His mother doesn’t scold him or tell him to stop being angry. Instead, she gently invites him to make “mean soup” together. As they cook, shouting their frustrations into the pot, Horace slowly begins to smile again.

What moved me most was the mother’s calm and understanding attitude. She didn’t try to fix her child’s feelings right away. She simply accepted them and stayed by his side. As a mother, I realized how often we rush to make our children feel better, not because they must, but because we feel uneasy seeing them upset. This story reminded me that children don’t always need quick answers. What they really need is our patience and presence.

For children, Mean Soup shows that anger is a normal feeling and that it’s okay to express it in safe and creative ways. For parents, it’s a gentle reminder that love and understanding work better than advice or criticism. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is share a quiet moment, maybe cooking, drawing, or just sitting together. That's enough. Our children will feel safe to let their emotions out.

When a child sees that their parent can stay calm, they learn to calm themselves too. That pot of “mean soup” isn’t really about cooking. It’s about turning anger into connection, and frustration into warmth.

After reading, my child smiled and said, “Next time, let’s make happy soup.” That small moment made me realize how this story helps children understand their emotions and teaches us, as parents, to slow down, listen, and show love through simple, caring actions. Mean Soup is not just a story for kids. It’s a gentle reminder for every parent that empathy is the most comforting ingredient of all.