There are four words that can make a parent feel proud and slightly nervous at the same time:

“I can do it myself.”

Sometimes those words lead to a lovely little moment. A shoe goes on. A zipper goes up. A child beams as though they’ve just built the house you’re standing in.

Other times, the shoe is on the wrong foot, the zipper has eaten a shirt, and you were supposed to leave seven minutes ago.

Both versions deserve a place in the story.

Small to us, big to them

As adults, we’ve had plenty of practice doing everyday things. Getting dressed, pouring a drink, carrying a bag. We tend to notice these tasks only when something goes wrong.

For a young child, doing one of those things without help can be the whole event.

They’re not simply putting on a jacket. They’re doing something that, until recently, someone else always did for them.

That’s part of what I love about writing for young children. An adventure doesn’t need a dragon or a journey across the ocean. Sometimes it needs a determined little character and something that turns out to be harder than expected.

That spirit sits at the heart of Lulu’s Big Little Day.

Leave room for the attempt

Of course, real families have schedules. “Take all the time you need” isn’t always a practical offer when everyone needs to be somewhere.

But when there is a little breathing room, it can be worth letting a small task stay small.

Let them try the zipper before reaching for it. Let them carry the light bag. Let them have a go at putting the toys away, even if their organizing system is mostly “everything goes here.”

The result might look different from yours.

It might also take longer. Possibly much longer.

You can still notice what they managed: “You got your arm through!” or “You carried that all the way to the table.”

There’s something lovely about being seen in the middle of learning, before you’ve got everything right.

Helping still counts

“I can do it myself” doesn’t have to become a rule that nobody is allowed to break.

Sometimes a child wants you nearby. Sometimes they want help getting started. Sometimes the thing that felt easy yesterday feels impossible today.

You can ask, “Would you like a hand, or another try?”

And sometimes you’ll need to say, “I’ll help with this part so we can get going.”

There will be other jackets. Other shoes. Other opportunities to pour a very ambitious amount of cereal.

A little question after storytime

After reading together, try asking:

“What’s something you’d like to try doing yourself?”

You might already know the answer. You might discover they’ve had their eye on a job you’ve never thought to offer them.

Choose something small and safe. Make a little room for the attempt.

And if it goes sideways, you haven’t ruined the moment. You’ve simply found the part of the story where a little help is needed.

Meet Lulu in Lulu’s Big Little Day, a story for little readers with big “let me try” energy. Explore the books at afsparksbooks.com.