Book Review: Wee Walk In Someone Else’s Shoes

Last Updated on October 6, 2019

(Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own.)

Last spring, my children and I celebrated Earth Day by working together on a very special project that benefited animals in our community. Using a Wag A Tail kit provided by WeeWork For Good, we created a gift package to give to a new adopted dog owner. We donated a dog bowl, leash, and decorative leash holder to our local animal shelter. This community service activity opened my children’s eyes to understand neglected animals and how people can help them by adopting and taking care of them.

 

About WeeWork For Good

WeeWork For Good is a social good business that provides funding to the WeeWork Foundation, their charitable arm which supports children’s programs and organizations that instill a lifelong spirit of compassion in youth of all ages. It was created by two moms who spent hundreds of hours helping others in their community and learning how to teach children about kindness. They designed several project kits for children to make a difference in others’ lives.

 A Story About Compassion and Kindness

In addition to developing several project kits, WeeWork For Good just released a meaningful children’s book that teaches the importance of giving to others. Filled with vivid, cheerful illustrations, Wee Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes is a story about a girl and boy in elementary school who learn that they have the power to make a difference in the world. When their teacher introduces a class project called “Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes”, these two friends learn about helping others.

I love the part when the teacher asks each student to sit down in a circle and swap shoes with a classmate. They all then stand up and have to walk around the room wearing someone else’s shoes. They observe how different it is to put on a pair of shoes that is either too big, too small, too tight, too loose, or a style or color they typically wouldn’t choose. This was such a wonderful metaphor for learning to stop and consider what others might be thinking and feeling-to try to understand their perspective.

Then the students form groups to explore four key components to understand how others live:

• Awareness: knowing facts about others
• Knowledge: information gained through experience about others
• Compassion: concern for others
• Empathy: Understanding the feelings of others

The children learn that not everyone has the basics of life such as food, shelter, clothes, toys, love, companionship, or even just a friend to care about them. They also realize the importance of helping a classmate whose family is struggling to make ends meet.

I enjoyed how a dandelion is used as a symbol throughout the story to represent how the seeds of the flower blowing in the wind are like the contagious power of compassion. The main character Katherine says, “We are like the dandelions in the field this morning, spreading the seeds of caring!” Even though the flower is broken up into tiny pieces as it disperses in the air, each seed goes out and grows into new dandelions like how each individual can go out in the world and help more and more people by spreading kindness.

At the end of the story, the children are so inspired to continue to help others that they invite several friends over to work on community service projects. This is the essence of WeeWork For Good-to bring families and groups together to work on creative projects to benefit those in need.

After I finished reading the book, I asked my daughter what it all meant. She really got it. She understood that the children in the story were learning about kindness and how they can help others. We continue to enjoy many volunteer projects together as a family to instill a sense of compassion in our children. This book is the perfect introduction or reminder of all those wonderfully positive, powerful messages.

Make A Difference With WeeWork For Good Kits

WeeWork For Good encourages volunteerism and inspires philanthropy at a young age. The projects bring awareness to children about issues such as hunger, poverty, and the environment. They also help kids explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) while understanding that kindness and sharing are essential.

WeeWork makes it so easy for families to do volunteer work together in the comfort of their home. Each kit contains a ready-to-make project containing educational activities and all the craft supplies necessary that conveniently arrive at your doorstep. There are both standard and deluxe kits. With every deluxe subscription sold, WeeWork will donate a kit to a child in need as part of their social good pledge.

You can choose from the following Family project kits:

• Painting Animal Art: This activity kit helps to build a child’s cultural awareness, imagination, and compassion by creating a painting on canvas while learning about the power of self-expression. Unleash creativity to help make the world a brighter place.
• Reading With A Buddy: Children build a plush monkey as they learn about the importance of literacy, and how learning to read brings freedom and knowledge to all.
• Wag A Tail: This kit educates kids about animal welfare. They will learn how to be a responsible pet owner. You’ll enjoy creating a dog leash storage plaque and decorating a dog bowl and dog leash.
• Miles Of Smiles: Kids create a door hanger tooth-brushing chart to track and celebrate their own dental care routine. This activity helps kids learn more about the importance of strong teeth and the challenges children around the world face without the proper tools to care for their dental health.
• Birthday Lights Project: Make a craft that helps a child in need celebrate their birthday and the light of life. The kit includes a party blower;  birthday card; and all the supplies to create a birthday cake nightlight, a custom crown, and a birthday badge.
• Polar Bear Power: Create a good wish craft to send to a child who may need a little extra support or encouragement, such as a foster child or a boy or girl facing a medical challenge.
• Cards For Stars Project: Show your support for military men and women overseas. This kit includes all the supplies to create cards that military members can use to send back to their loved ones.

All of these kits would make an extra special gift for a child for their birthday, during holiday time, to celebrate a successful school year, or just because. WeeWork also offers Group Project Kits that are great to use during birthday parties, sleepovers, playdates, and school functions or with sports teams, children’s organizations, religious groups, and corporate volunteer events.

Purchase Wee Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes today!

 

What school kindness projects have inspired your children?

*This post was sponsored by WeeWork For Good.