A Place at the Table

On Monday morning, Levi brought a new puzzle to school. He and his friend Aria had planned to work on it together at lunchtime. When the bell rang, Levi hurried to the table. Aria was already there with Ruben, showing him how to fit the puzzle pieces together. Levi stopped. “I thought we were doing this together,” he said. Aria looked up. “We are! Ruben wanted to help too. There’s room for all of us.” Levi felt a little left out. He wanted Aria to save the puzzle just for them. Their teacher, Mr Patel, came over. “It can feel tricky when a friend spends time with someone else,” he said. “But friends can enjoy being together and still make room for other people. We can tell our friends how we feel without making rules about who they may play with.” Levi thought about that. “I felt disappointed because I was looking forward to the puzzle,” he said. “Could I join in now?” “Of course,” said Aria. Ruben moved his chair, and the three children searched for the edge pieces. They finished the puzzle before the bell. Levi was glad he had joined them. He learnt that sharing a friend’s time can make a game more fun, not less special.