Few children set off on a moonlit stroll without a moon.

In the classic 1955 children's book Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, that night stroll takes Harold to a quest until he finds his own bedroom. Small kids love Harold's imagined world and little adventures. We can also read it as a nightmare.

But my focus today is on how the story can help kids to think about reality and creating their own path in life.

• Dream and make it happen

Harold dreams of something he has no reason to believe he can do: taking a walk in the moonlight when there is no moon and no road. But he makes it happen.

• You have the power

He draws everything in his life with his crayon by himself. Nobody else helps or does it for him.

• Try new things

He starts his journey on a straight (safe) path, but when it goes nowhere, he draws paths in different directions.

• Life is full of obstacles, but you can get over them

He runs into trouble on some parts of his journey. Some are self-inflicted, like the dragon under the apple tree. Bu he draws his way out.

• The way out is not always clear

He doesn't know what's next when the other side of the mountain is not there or his house is nowhere to be seen from the balloon up in the air, but he keeps trying.

• Have purpose

He realizes he can save himself from the water or draw his own bed when he has a purpose instead of just scribbling.

It's never too early to teach kids they have control over their life.