Dear parents,

“I decide, I choose,” are phrases our young children often repeat, marking the beginnings of their self-awareness. This awareness encompasses different aspects of their identity, such as traits, behaviors, and emotions; The child begins to understand what they like and dislike, recognizing their strengths and weaknesses. The growth and development of self-awareness come from the child’s experiences, reflections on them, and the reactions of others to these experiences.

This book contributes to establishing a child’s self-awareness through the story of a little owl who understands his likes, recognizes his strengths, and knows what bothers him. When his mother gives him a scarf that doesn’t suit him, he hides it, refusing to use it, making the mother realize her son’s need to participate in the choice. Children’s involvement in decision-making allows them to prioritize their needs and desires, aiding in developing their self-awareness and giving them a sense of control over certain matters.

Let’s Talk

- About desires: The little owl understands what he likes, such as sledding, eating ice cream, and adding numbers. We can talk to our child about the things they like and want to do.

- About expressing feelings: The little owl tried various ways to get rid of the scarf. We can ask our child why he did that and suggest alternative ways to express dissatisfaction or displeasure to parents.

- About participating in decision-making and choices: The owl mother decided to involve her child in choosing the scarf he wants. We can talk to our children about situations where they participate in decision-making, such as choosing clothes, toys, household chores, and situations where they don’t participate in making choices. Ask them: How do you feel? How would you like us to act?

Let’s Communicate

- We can spend some quality time with our child on a nature walk or a trip to a nature reserve, like Al Hula Reserve, where we can learn about different bird species, especially during their migration season.

- The owl mother knitted the scarf for her child. We can enjoy preparing a product with our child, like making an owl doll from old clothes.

Let’s Enrich our Language

- The little owl accurately expressed his dislike for the scarf using appropriate adjectives. We can play a guessing game with our children, saying, for example, “I see something tall, green in color...” and let the child guess. We ensure the use of precise qualities for the item or thing that our child will understand.

Let’s Act Out and Create

Let's talk to our child about situations where they feel frustration or anger. The scenario helps us think together about ways to alleviate their feelings and use appropriate social expressions.

Enjoy your reading!