It's Not Easy Being a Kid. Trust Me. is a children’s picture book written and illustrated by JuYin Helen Wong. Only a kid can really know how hard it really is to be a kid. It starts from early in the morning, when your mom wakes you up for school, and the bed is so warm, and you just want to snuggle under the blankets and hug your dog. Moms mean business when they tell you to get out of bed though, and if you push too hard or move too slowly, you might see her frowning and even see steam coming out of her ears. Moms rush their kids to get ready for school -- and getting ready involves so many things, like washing up and brushing your teeth and getting dressed. Then at school there are so many things to learn and do, but lunch breaks are fun and even after school there’s a chance to play with your friends until Mom comes.

JuYin Helen Wong’s humorous children’s picture book will evoke smiles of delight and appreciation from young listeners as parents and caregivers experience the world through a young child’s eyes. JuYin Helen Wong’s story is perceptive and wise, and her illustrations are rich with comic relief, especially those showing the mom with steam billowing out from her ears, shouting so loudly that her kids’ hair flies backward or turning a dangerous shade of red when her charges balk at eating their vegetables. While adults do like to say things like ‘youth is wasted on the young,’ sometimes it does help to see things from a kid’s perspective. It's Not Easy Being a Kid. Trust Me. does just that, and in a way that will bring kids and caregivers together most pleasantly. It’s most highly recommended.

In It's Not Easy Being a Kid: Trust Me by JuYin Wong, sometimes parents in today’s society are so busy worrying about everything else going on in their lives, they fail to see what is most important. Children need their parents to make time to help them grow and develop. It is also vital to their development so they gain a clear understanding of the world around them and what their talents and passions are. Meet Felicia and Serena, who are trying their very best to complete all of their tasks and demands from their mother. Nothing ever seems to be right and they only manage to turn their mother's face red with frustration, which they know is never a good sign. They wish they could have time to play and take their time getting ready for school; they wish they didn’t have to eat horrible vegetables. Sometimes they just want to cuddle with their mother; they want her to read a story to them, or just to talk about how they feel. This thought-provoking book will trigger any parent to evaluate how they behave around their children and how precious these years are.

The author has cleverly covered a quite sensitive subject of parenting but in a light-hearted way. The story is excellently written and in language that is easily understood by all children. I think any parent will relate to the message behind the story, and this would make a great discussion topic for young children and adults to discuss their relationship and any positive changes that could be made. The illustrations are fantastic and again could be used as a conversation tool, especially the mother's expressions of frustration. The angle of this subject from the child perspective is very powerful. All children need is a parent's time and love. How can a child ever discover what they feel if they are just constantly given orders and commands? A great gift idea for any parent of young children which will take them away from the boot camp mode of parenting and into the world of patience and understanding of their little ones.