He watched him writing out the numbers:
‘1...2...’
Would he finally get it this time?
‘...s.’
Nope. There it was. Again.
Ali didn’t care about the 3 being wrong (well, maybe just a bit). What really got him was feeling unable to help. No matter how he tried to point it out - gently, playfully, firmly, even crossly - it always ended the same:
Big tears from Hassan.
Pure frustration for Ali.
Ali felt stuck. Hassan felt crushed.
Fast forward three months.
Hassan still gets those 3s muddled sometimes.
But now, Ali just grins and says, ‘I see two mistakes!’
And Hassan? No more shame-face. He checks his Maths poster. He gives it another go.
Ali’s got the confidence now - and the words - to treat mistakes like stepping stones, not roadblocks.
Hassan gets it: mistakes aren’t a disaster. They’re a challenge. A chance to try a new strategy.
Now they’re on the same side, tackling mistakes together.
That’s the real win.
Is there a ‘pesky 3’ causing battles in your house right now? Hit reply and let me know. The more I hear from you, the more I can make these emails genuinely helpful!
What If Everybody Did That?
Ellen Javernick (Author), Colleen Madden (Illustrator)
(Two Lions)
This might not seem like the most obvious pick, but hear me out. Lately, I’ve found myself explaining to my almost-4-year-old why she can’t do certain things - over and over. It makes me feel like the ‘boring parent,’ and honestly, I wonder if my words just go in one ear and out the other.
That’s why I love this book. Whether it’s throwing rubbish on the floor, causing chaos in a restaurant, or sneaking a lick of wedding cake, it asks: ‘What if everybody did that?’ It’s a playful way to teach life lessons - without feeling like a nag.
And here’s the twist: try using this idea with mistakes!
What if everyone just left their threes backwards and never tried to fix them? What if parents ignored mistakes instead of helping kids learn? Suddenly, mistakes become part of the adventure, not something to hide.
Mistakes are proof we’re learning - and they deserve a little celebration!
This week, make it your family’s mission to spot mistakes - big or small - and celebrate the effort to try again.
How it works:
When someone in your family (grown-ups included!) makes a mistake, pause and say:
‘That’s a mistake - what can we learn from it?’Celebrate the moment with a high-five, a silly dance, or just a ‘Nice try!’
Keep a tally on the fridge or a piece of paper for every time someone turns a mistake into a learning moment.
At the end of the week, see how many ‘learning moments’ your family collected. Maybe even share your favourite one with me by hitting reply - I’d love to hear how it goes!
I hope you’re having a smashing half-term and enjoying the longer evenings. Aren’t they just great?
As always, I love hearing from you - so if you try this week’s challenge (or just want to share your own ‘pesky 3’ story), hit reply and let me know!
You’re doing better than you think,
Becca
