Don't Forget!

Did you ever forget something important? Sure you did. It happens to all of us, adults as well as children. An new book about a boy named Oscar, will help children see that others also make mistakes. Knowing they aren't the only ones in this situation, helps perfectionists, be more accepting of their errors and feel better about themselves. In the case of Oscar, he forgets to deliver the notes about the town picnic because of his daydreaming. He finds a way to fix the problem and everyone has a great time. Oscar is the main character in the story, Super Oscar by Oscar DeLaHoya. I like this book for a number of reasons: It has both Spanish and English text. The author has a page at the back of the book encouraging children to exercise like Oscar. The story opens the door to conversations about ways to fix problems and that we all make mistakes. The children may be surprised to know that teachers make mistakes too, so be sure to share some of yours. If appropriate, you might discuss solutions to mistakes which have happened in the classroom. You might talk about spilling a drink or taking a possession of a classmate in error. If your children enjoy class made books consider making a forgetting book where children draw add write about a time they forgot something. It could be even more fun to talk about times when an adult forgot something important to the child. The idea that mistakes are not intentional is often a difficult concept for children.