The misfortune drawing

ABOUT THE BOOK
FAMILY ACTIVITIES

By: Johanna Thydell/Publisher: Dar al-Muna

Distribution: March, 2019

Mint’s big brother is so good at drawing and Mint wants to be just as good. It’s just that she does not even know what she’s going to draw. In the end she gets an idea: a snow flake! She started drawing enthusiastically until everything goes wrong- very wrong.This is a humorous story about being a younger sibling who wants to be big and talented, and being angry when matters do not go as you imagined, but joyful when you succeed!

Family Activities

Mint is a brave child; She faces situations that are not easy. At times, she is confused about what to draw, and at others, her paper is torn and falls into the water. All this happens under the watchful eyes of her big brother, her idol in terms of abilities and discipline, who stops her and ...

Video

Dear Parents,

The relationship between siblings is a complex one that may result in several different feelings, like love and jealousy, closeness and aversion. Sometimes, this relationship may be complicated by our unconscious comparisons between siblings whether it is directly or indirectly. Additionally, the child often has a natural desire to join the world of their older siblings because it is exciting, and because they want to imitate them at a time when their abilities limit them from doing so, which in turn makes them frustrated.

As parents, we may rush to protect our child, so we provide them with solutions. However, this protection robs the child of the ability to imagine and to creatively think of alternative ways to solve their problems, and it tells them: “You are incapable.” On the one hand, it is our role as parents to provide our child with challenges that suit their abilities, so that they do not become frustrated, and on the other hand to help them find alternative ways to solve the problems. This is what the brother did when he highlighted what Mint created, albeit unintentionally the first time, and encouraged her to repeat it until she acquired the skill of making paper snowflakes.

No longer is Mint’s drawing a “misfortune,” but rather a drawing that carries a lot of creativity!

Family Activities

We can talk with our child about the different feelings that Mint experiences. When does she feel angry, when does she feel down, and why? Do we sometimes have similar feelings? when?
We can chat with our child about what Mint could have done every time her drawing was destroyed. This helps our child to see alternative ways to solve a specific problem.
Sometimes our child feels frustrated when they try to do something beyond their capabilities at that age. We may want to have a conversation with them about things that they can do, and things they were not able to do last year (such as: riding a two-wheel bike, walking to the nearby store alone, etc.)
We can chat with our child about their relationship with their older or younger siblings, or their relationship with another child in the extended family. What do they like about each brother/sister? What makes them upset about his/her behavior? What things do they enjoy doing with their siblings?
“Big brother/sister’s room is always nicer!” A phrase we hear often from our young children. We can chat with our child about what they like in the older sibling’s room, and what they like in their own room. Together, we can think of simple ways to make their room a more comfortable and enjoyable place for them (maybe we decide to paint a wall with a nice color, or hang some pictures on it ...)
A paper-cutting workshop! We can encourage our child to fold some papers and to trim the edges in a different way each time. What shapes do we get?
These suggestions were developed by a working group from the Ministry of Education, Early Childhood Development Center (Bidayat), and the Grinspoon Foundation.
Enjoy your reading!