Kindergarten Hat

Reach for this book when your child is oscillating between the excitement of a new milestone and the paralyzing fear of making a mistake. It is an ideal choice for the week leading up to the first day of school, especially for children who express their anxiety through a need for perfection or a fear of 'messing up' in front of new authority figures. The story follows young Carlos as he prepares a special, flower-adorned hat for his new teacher. When a gust of wind leads to a messy mishap, Carlos must navigate feelings of shame and disappointment. This gentle narrative provides a beautiful framework for discussing resilience and the fact that teachers care much more about who a child is than what they produce. It is a comforting, age-appropriate tool for normalizing the 'butterflies' that come with big transitions.