The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Pressure

The Berenstain Bears

by Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain

This classic Berenstain Bears story is a perfect way to teach children to appreciate all that their parents do for them!

Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic First Time Book® from Stan and Jan Berenstain. From swimming and gymnastics to soccer and art, Brother and Sister have very busy schedules. Mama always makes those schedules work, but sometimes it can cause too much pressure. Includes over 50 bonus stickers!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Animals, Young Adult, School, Family

32 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1992

About the author

Stan and Jan Berenstain (often called The Berenstains) were American writers and illustrators best known for creating the children's book series the Berenstain Bears. Their son Mike Berenstain joined them as a creative team in the late 1980s.

Reviews

[Derrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading a Berenstain Bear book is like revisiting an old childhood friend.

[Cheryl Gladfelter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated that my kid was able to see another mom burst into tears and need to have a break (besides me).

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here again is a story that's the fault of the parents more than the children. The idea of a child being overscheduled like this stems so much from a parent not saying 'no' when the children want to do things. Especially when they want to do EVERYTHING.

Again, the solution is meant more for the adults reading the book (and this book should be required reading for all parents). Mama's breakdown sobbing is something that just about every mother can sympathize with. And the solution that eventually is drawn is painfully simple: to simply decide what's important, and cut back on the rest.

I liked this book a great deal, but I have no idea how kids would react to it, except maybe they might understand a little better why they can't do everything.

[Tessa Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is one that is relatable to most families and people. The Berenstain Bears find themselves wanting to participate in many different activities, that their friends did. Eventually the children find themselves with no time to themselves and overstressed. It takes Mama having a break down for the family to realize they don't have enough time for everything. A great story about time management and learning not to overdo it.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a Little Free Library find. It is one of the classic Berenstain Bears stories. The family's schedule gets a little too busy and everyone can feel the pressure. Even a big schedule on the wall doesn't relieve the pressure. Finally, trouble with the car causes Mama to have a breakdown and everyone tries to rethink their behaviors, wants and needs. It's a lesson that might resonate with young readers and their families.

[Ame · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Then Mama did something the cubs had never seen her do before. She started to cry. Big wet tears rolled down her cheeks. The cubs forgot karate and soccer and everything else except that their mama was crying."

Whew! It's nice having read this as a child and getting the other perspective as an adult, because it's a very relatable text.

[brynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

this one was actually good. mama is stressed with trying to keep up with all the cubs' extracurricular activities. this is the first time i have ever seen her cry in a book. even the cubs are startled. i think a lot of parents (mothers especially) feel this pressure to keep the perfect family balance.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple concept book. I kind of don't agree with the idea of pressure as it's used here. It's more just doing too much. And it's a bit thin on the characters, it's definitely surface-y. But readable and with the same art as always. Kind of an abrupt ending that down plays the pain of having to stop doing some things in order to appreciate doing other things.

[Nadina · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I actually had a coworker choose a Berenstain Bears book for me (any one on our shelf at the library) in order to fulfill a reading challenge prompt of and author everyone has read that you haven't.
I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable this book was. It was definitely relatable in a way, and I feel like it was well paced and well illustrated.

[Stef · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was all right. The kids are involved in too many activities and the Bear family is so busy rushing around, they have no time to enjoy anything. It features Mama Bear breaking down and crying, making her get off her zero-fun high horse for once and come across as relatable.

[Slow Man · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the Bear family, I like to do absolutely nothing sometimes and then read a few picture books. They are so endearing. This one is about not overdoing stuff. We live but not too much. Too much is never wise. This applies to many aspects of life and it is a great principle to live by.

[Mari]

Another simplistic book where the parents are at fault for taking on too much and not setting up proper limits and boundaries.... this is not the kids fault... I'm really starting to dislike these berenstain bear books... why did we think so highly of them? maybe its the warm illustrations

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When too much is going on and everyone’s trying to do everything it gets to much pressure for the bear family.

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"There's nothing like a good cry sometimes."

When doing too much becomes just too much.

[TJE · Rating 5 out of 5]

enjoyed, will read again when older

[Tessa Hensley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very good with cute detailed illustrations. It would be good for any age group and has easy words and meanings to understand. In class you can use this book to help children learn how to do time management, even with older students. Being too stressed is a thing lots of students deal with because they try to juggle too much, as you can see with Mama Bear. Reading students this book and then explaining to them that they don't have to do everything would be a very good use of class time in the long run. After reading you can have students write out their schedules and put their stress level on a scale of one to ten. Then talk about what a healthy level of stress is, what that looks like and how to attain it. afterwards students can try to change their schedules, with the teachers help, in order to bring their level of stress to a healthy place. This will help with time management skills, and prioritizing skills.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good 'learning' Berenstain Bears book; but it is close to a chapter book although it's not one. So I would recommend it for an 'older' child. My 3 year old granddaughter loves to sit and be read to and will pay attention for 45 minutes to an hour being read to. But even this book dealing with 'older kids' issues she almost lost interest. But with that said it is a good one to help teach kids (and parents too) that having a child do more activities than the child (or parent) can really do that's healthy. Brother and Sister Bear are involved with MANY activities (soccer, ballet, horse back riding, swimming, computer club, etc) they are run ragged and so is Mama trying to keep everything straight. Until Mama breaks down. Everyone should learn from this book that one or two additional activities for a child is okay but more than that is just too much.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mimi got this one out of the lib. Every BB book is great, I love the illustrations and the way they're written. But for some reason this one really got me. Maybe it's b/c Mama has a nervous breakdown towards the end and collapses on the bed in tears. Ya, that must be it. Me and Mama had a moment. I was like, I hear you Mama. I've been there. This was a good one, especially real, relate-able, and a good lesson.

[Miri · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Bear family is too busy! Sister and brother have too many activities, soccer, ballet, art, computers, baseball! They hardly have time to be a family anymore! Mama is getting stressed, the whole family is under too much pressure!

[Sabine · Rating 4 out of 5]

WE read this with our kids after several months of overfilling our activity charts. Even the teenager was willing to listen and then talk about what things we can do to cut down the hectic in our lives.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

When cubs and their parents
get a little too busy
their everyday lies
get a little too dizzy.

Brother and Sister are involved in a lot of activities and Mama struggles to get them everywhere.

[Kim Foy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book for kids in today's society who are accustomed to busy schedules. They learn that doing absolutely nothing from time to time is perfectly fine.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

After Mother Bear has a break-down the cubs scale back on their after-school activities.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading the Berenstain Bears books to my children. Each and every one of them sends a positive message.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated by Greta. Led to a conversation about why I make her choose between sports/activities instead of being involved in multiple at one time.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teaches a good lesson: if you do too much, it will eventually bog you down.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

So it was all the kids' faults?

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute and kid-friendly way of talking about stress and having way too much to do.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is exactly what you think it is. The Berenstain Bears try to do everything and burn out. It's that typical Berenstain Bears style of a book for parents to read to kids to teach lessons.

[Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This message holds true today. It's not about overscheduling and trying to keep up with the Jones'. Do what you enjoy and iits okay to have some me or family time.