From ‘Aaah!’ to ‘Ahaa!’

Dandy: “Cookie, give me a word that starts with A.”
Cookie: “Apple.”
Dandy: “Give me another word with A.”
Cookie: “Aaaaaah!”
Dandy: “What happened?”
Cookie: “It’s a word that starts with A when someone falls down!”
Dandy: “Oh! But we can also have Ahaa!” Let’s play a game! I’ll say something with an “Aaah!” and you have to turn it into an “Ahaa!”

When kids create their own positive statements, they learn to advocate for themselves. It’s no longer just about listening to an adult but about strengthening their own inner voice.

We can always make things better together. If your child shares an idea, you can support them by adding your own encouragement.

How to Play:

Here are a few fun ones we came up with:

Aaah! I’m terrible at this.
Ahaaa! I’m still learning, and that’s okay!

Aaah! I can’t do this.
Ahaaa! I’ll keep trying!

Aaah! This is hard.
Ahaaa! Hard things make me stronger!

Aaah! I made a mistake.
Ahaaa! Mistakes help me grow!

Aaah! I’m not good at math.
Ahaaa! Practice will make me better!

Aaah! I’m not that smart.
Ahaaa! I’m smart in my own way!

Aaah! I ruined it.
Ahaaa! I can find a way to fix it!

Aaah! This is all I can do.
Ahaaa! I’ll take a break and try again later!

By playing this simple game, we can help children shift their mindset from frustration to possibility—one “Ahaa!” at a time!

Hi there! I truly believe that children are born wise, and we adults have so much to learn from them. Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost touch with our innate wisdom—buried under all the “grown-up” stuff society throws at us.
I see every moment with my kids as a chance to learn, and I love sharing those little lessons with you. I hope they bring you a smile or a fresh perspective.
I’d also love to hear from you—what’s something you’ve learned from a child in your life recently? Did it make you pause and look inward, even just a little?
My book series, A Nourishing Cookie Story, is packed with these kinds of lessons, inspired by kids. You can check them out on Amazon, and—watch them come to life on my YouTube channel.