It took me 1 min, 59 seconds to read this in a leisurely fashion
How does it feel ? In that moment when you see your child looking longingly at the kids in the playground doing handstands...
You can see their head darting around like a little meerkat's.
They're craning their necks, keeping their eyes fixed on the marvel in front of them.
But they're sticking with - and probably safely behind - you
As a teacher, I used to feel the frustration blowing out of my ears in this moment.
JUST GO AND TRY I'd silently order them in my head, whilst trying to be gentle out loud/ sometimes a bit harsher as the patience wore off.
I'd feel annoyed these cool little kids I hung out with every day were missing out on something they might find really fun. What a waaaaste of being young and fun!
That's where I'd really go into Growth Mindset turbo mode.
'No-one starts off amazing... if we don't try stuff, we might miss out finding something we love'
This week, let me tell you about the perfect book for giving your child a gentle nudge in the direction of the handstands...
Almost Anything
by Sophy Henn
(Penguin Books)
George is a cute rabbit with big ears and big eyes, who's too scared to try all the fun things his mates are doing because he doesn't know how.
Sound familiar?
I love this book for opening up the conversation of just how rubbish it feels when you want to try something but you are too scared to.
It's not fun! You sit and watch your mates getting into their Picasso vibe or channelling their inner Shakespeare, wishing, 'I wish I could write like them.'
But maybe you can! Or maybe you won't write exactly like them (we're not trying to be other people), but can be inspired to develop your writing and painting talents, just as they've done theirs.
How to use this book with your child:-
After reading, ask: 'Have you ever felt like George?'
(This one opens the door to big feelings – don’t be surprised if they share something unexpected, or nothing at all, you know what they're like...) -
Ask: 'What’s one thing you’d love to try if you felt a bit braver?'
(It could be handstands, talking to a new friend, or trying a food that looks 'weird'…) -
Say: 'George didn’t try at first… but what helped him change his mind?'
(Help them reflect on how support, encouragement, and time can make a difference.) Create your own 'Almost Anything' jar – where your child can write or draw things they want to try but feel unsure about. Then pick one to explore together each week.
Almost Anythin was our book in Brave Summer Club this week. Want to see me reading the book and hanging out with my teddy? Of course you do.
You can get it all here.
Enjoy!
Becca
ps. Got some thoughts or questions? Hit reply and ask away. You know how much I love talking to parents and problem-solving.
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