Scent of My Mother

ABOUT THE BOOK
FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Text: Yamam Khartash / Illustrator: Banan Hummus

Majed decides to buy a perfume for his mother on Mother’s Day. He tries to explain to the seller what scents remind him of her: The scent of the roses that she takes care of, of bread with za’atar (thyme) that she prepares for him for breakfast, and of mint soap when she washes his hair. This story is about the pleasant presence of mother in a child’s life remembered through acts of care and love, and prompts children to think about what good scents they associate with the people they love. This book was produced at the initiative of Maktbat al-Fanoos.

Family Activities

Does it happen that someone’s voice, or a fleeting smell, reminds us of a person or an experience, and, for a moment, we relive that experience anew? Our sensory memory stores many smells, sounds, touches, tastes, and sights that relate to people who matter to us or who have been in our lives and ...

Video

Dear Parents,

In the first few years, a child’s memory tends to be sensory and distinctive; Basically, they remember what their senses receive, and the positive or negative feelings this reception evokes. Therefore, the child’s lived experiences with their family and friends are of great importance due to the emotional impact they have, which accompany the child all his/her life.

“My Mother’s Scent” is a book about the physical presence of the mother, the father, or any important person in the child’s life, hopefully, this presence is both kind to and supportive of the child.

Family Activities

After reading the story with our child, we can close our eyes and try to recover the smell or smells that remind us of each other. Which smells relate to other family members in our memories?
Places are also associated with specific smells in our memories. Which scents do we smell when we remember the house, the garden, or grandfather’s or a friend’s house?
We can talk about scents that our child loves at home, and others they do not like. They may wish to draw the sources of those scents. How can we make our home smell sweeter?
What do I love doing with my mom? We may want to make a list, which we can hang somewhere in the house. Every week, we can choose an activity to do together.
How do we choose a gift for someone we love? We can talk about things that we take into consideration when we choose a gift, such as: the person’s taste, interests, needs, and others.
“The scent of my father/grandfather/my grandmother/my sister/brother” may be the title of a beautiful book that we help our child in writing and drawing.
“What is this smell?” could be a fun game in which all family members can participate. We collect various objects (food, plants ...) and close someone’s eyes, and they must try to figure out the source of the scent based only on its smell.
Enjoy your reading!
These suggestions were developed by a team from the Ministry of Education and the Grisespoon Foundation.