Smidgeon Scholars — Before You Begin

A personal note

From Jennie

You are one of a small group of families who said yes before there was anything to say yes to — before the program existed, before Smidgeon had a story, before any of this was real. That matters more than I can say.

What you're holding is six weeks of curriculum built around one idea: the hard moments aren't interruptions to connection. They are the connection. Every tantrum, every meltdown, every "I don't want to share" — those are the moments that build the relationship. Smidgeon is here to show your child that the feeling is real and survivable. I'm here to remind you that you already know what to do, and to give you the words for the moments when you forget.

You don't have to do this perfectly. You don't have to do every activity. You just have to show up. That's the whole thing.

One thing before you start

Read each week's parent letter on your own first — before you open the story with your child. The parent letter is yours. It gives you the developmental context and the scripted phrases so that when the hard moment comes in real life, you already know what to reach for. Everything else flows from there.

📋 How This Works

Three things, once a week

Read the story with your child. Smidgeon's stories are short enough for a bedtime read or a quiet afternoon. You can read it together, read it first and talk about it, or read it in parts and pause. There's no wrong way. The goal is to give your child a character who feels the same things they feel — and figures out what to do.

Read the parent letter on your own. Each week has a note just for you — about what's happening developmentally, scripted phrases for the hard moments, and one concrete thing to try. The parent letter is yours. I talk beside you there, not above you.

Try the activity together — and tell me how it went. Each week has one simple activity designed for 5–10 minutes. After you try it, hit reply on the email and answer the three feedback questions. Messy answers are the most useful answers. Your feedback shapes this program for the thousands of families who come after you.

A note before you dive in.