Do YOU like your hat?

As a child, I loved the book Go Dog Go! by P.D. Eastman. I loved the colorful pictures, the silly rhymes, and the delightful rhythm. I still do. Except for one thing that now, as a parent, drives me a little crazy. “Do you like my hat?”.

The delightful pink pooch keeps reappearing in the book with uniquely charming hats, and asks the very opinionated dog over and over again if her hats are to his liking. The first three times he answers with an emphatic no and the two part ways. After three failed attempts, she finally shows up with an extravagant party hat and the book ends with her finally gaining his approval as they drive off into the sunset. 

Now, that is NOT the kind of message I want to send to my children. If someone doesn’t like you, just keep changing yourself until they do. NO. WAY. 

When I read this book to my kiddos, I always point out how silly it is that this wonderful pink puppy would even care at all about what the yellow dog thinks of her hats. All that really matters is what SHE thinks of her hats. 

I sometimes daydream about writing a sequel to this book called I Don’t Need you to Like my Hat!