<p>Our field is brimming with insights into how children learn mathematics. Yet, much of this treasure fails to reach a group that holds significant influence over children’s learning: parents. While most parents want their child to succeed in the subject, many do not know how to help, or are so wounded from their own mathematics education that they do their best to avoid it. For several years, I have been writing a collection of stories and narrative essays aimed at parents and caregivers of young children. The stories follow the family of a young child as she embarks on her formal mathematics education. The essays respond to the events in the story, drawing on research to illuminate the characters’ struggles and offering suggestions that might help. Here, I share one story about place-value, <i>Whiskers</i>, and its accompanying essay, and discuss how the collection aligns with an Arts-Based Research methodology. Although initially conceived for parents, the stories and essays are also relevant for primary school teachers, adult learners, and anyone interested in the risky, unpredictable delight of helping children learn mathematics.</p>