Dear Parents,

In the book, “Pete the Cat and his Magic Sunglasses,” we follow the story of Zarif, a cat who wakes up feeling irritable. With the help of his magic glasses, he realizes the impact a positive attitude and different perspective can have on his emotions. However, the wise owl guides him and shows that the glasses are metaphorical, representing the power of a positive attitude.

As adults, we have an important role in helping children put on their own “magic glasses” when facing difficult emotions such as anger, sadness, frustration, and resentment. Instead of immediately dismissing their feelings with phrases like “Don't be afraid” or “Don't be sad,” we can engage in a dialogue that expands their thinking and outlook, helping them see situations from different angles. This approach promotes positive thinking as a tool for dealing with tough emotions and challenges, strengthening the child’s psychological resilience.

Let’s put on our own magic glasses and find the sources of strength within us, and help our children do the same!

Let’s Talk

• About the magic glasses: We can discuss the emotions of different animals before and after wearing the glasses, asking questions such as “What did the animals feel?” “Why did they feel that way?” “How did their feelings change after wearing the glasses?” and “Why are they called magic?”
• About negative (uncomfortable) emotions: We can talk with our child about situations that cause frustration, sadness, or depression and how to overcome them. What makes them feel like that? We can share our own experiences and feelings and help our child find what works for them.
• About sources of happiness: We can talk with our child about the things that make them happy and satisfied. We can ask: what makes you happy?

Let’s Communicate

• We can create a morning ritual or practice with our child that helps us relax and start the day on a positive note, such as watering plants, doing breathing exercises, singing a favourite song, or sitting in the garden.

Let’s Create:

• We can make our own glasses using different materials and raw materials and invent special names for them.

Let’s Enrich Our Language:

• The book features a range of emotions such as sadness, gloom, annoyance, and happiness. We can explore the emotional state of Pete, the cat, and other animals and accurately label their emotions. We can encourage our child to do the same, using these labels to describe their own feelings.

Enjoy your reading!