CARING FOR THE CARER

A popular quote (author unknown) begins, “Your kindness is never wasted. Even when it goes unnoticed, even when it's taken for granted.” How nice, though, when it IS noticed. Even nicer, when it INSPIRES!
 
Children who read this month’s spotlighted picture book receive a powerful foundation for such appreciation and inspiration. A HAT FOR MRS. GOLDMAN illustrates Social Awareness skills through the Jewish concept of mitzvahs, or good deeds. The story models empathy, compassion, and gratitude. Plus, being that social-emotional skills are linked, the actions fueled by Social Awareness build strengths in Self-Management and Self Awareness, particularly initiative, agency, goal-setting, self-efficacy, a recognition of personal strengths, and a sense of purpose.

In this endearing story, infant Sophie receives a knitted baby hat from her apartment-building neighbor, Mrs. Goldman (who, in context, appears also to be Sophie’s babysitter). It can get very cold where they live.
 
As she grows, Mrs. Goldman teaches Sophie how to knit, and how to make pom-poms. Mrs. Goldman knits constantly, ensuring her friends and neighbors are well-supplied with warm hats and mittens. Sophie enjoys making pom-poms, which they use to decorate Mrs. Goldman’s hats. Mrs. Goldman tells Sophie that together, they are accomplishing a mitzvah. They are keeping people’s heads – their keppies - warm.
 
Sophie accompanies Mrs. Goldman and her dog, Fifi, on their daily walks. With winter coming, Sophie bundles up in her hat and mittens. Fifi wears a sweater, also knitted by Mrs. Goldman. But Mrs. Goldman has no hat.
 
Each day, Sophie notices signs that Mrs. Goldman’s head must be cold. Her hair blows in the wind. Her ears turn red. Mrs. Goldman’s keppie must be cold…very cold…freezing!
 
Sophie decides it’s up to HER to knit a hat for Mrs. Goldman. Mrs. Goldman is too busy knitting for everyone else.
 
Stitch by stitch, Sophie works, but only when she’s NOT with Mrs. Goldman. It’s a surprise.
 
The result is lumpy and bumpy, with holes. Sophie thinks it looks like a “monster hat.” But it’s the only hat she can offer... Aha! Pom-poms to the rescue! Sophie gets busy making them, in Mrs. Goldman’s favorite color. She covers every lump and hole with pom-poms.
 
The story and illustrations are full of child-friendly devices to stimulate empathic awareness and emotion. As note above, Sophie doesn’t just visually notice Mrs. Goldman’s windblown hair and red ears – Sophie feels that Mrs. Goldman is enduring discomfort. Her compassion fuels her resolve to correct this unacceptable situation. Then, Sophie continues to make choices informed by social awareness. She worries that the “monster hat” might frighten Fifi. She is mindful of Mrs. Goldman’s favorite color.
 
Moreover, Sophie reaps great rewards from her efforts. As she perseveres, her knitting skills improve. When she turns the “monster-hat” into a glory of pom-poms, it becomes “the most special hat in the world.” The illustration of Sophie tightly hugging the soft, colorful hat conveys her love for Mrs. Goldman and her delight in finding she can make life better for someone she loves. When the surprise gift moves Mrs. Goldman to tears of joy, Sophie learns how precious her compassion and initiative are. Mrs. Goldman even counts the pom-poms, a concrete way of showing Sophie how much she notices and values the extent of the young girl’s effort and love.
 
In appreciation of this heartwarming picture book, I’ll add another Jewish word to the keppies and mitzvahs. Like Sophie when she finishes the hat, like Mrs. Goldman when she receives it, on finishing this marvelous book, I feel verklempt: overcome with emotion. In a very good way!