What this story teaches
That people can hold different opinions and both be okay, that it can feel uncomfortable to be disagreed with, and how to say what you think kindly, listen to the other person, and carry on playing without needing to agree.
When to use it
- After an argument with a friend or sibling about who was right.
- When your child finds it hard when someone thinks differently to them.
- Before group work at school, if disagreements tend to end the game.
For this story
- Model it at home: “I think it’s a bit cold. You think it’s warm. We can both be right about how we feel.”
- Disagreeing out loud is a skill, not rudeness. Praise “I think… because…”.
- If your child is being mocked for their interests, that is unkind behaviour to raise with school, not a disagreement.
How to use it
- Read it together on a calm day, not mid-meltdown. In the hard moment itself, fewer words help more: stay close, keep everyone safe, and save the story for later.
- Read it again just before a tricky moment you can see coming: on the way to the park, the night before a haircut.
- Make it fit your child: skip pages, stop when they’ve had enough, swap a detail as you read so it matches your child’s day, or read only the “I can remember” card.
- Add your child’s first name on the story’s opening page and it appears in a line or two. The name stays in this browser and is never sent anywhere.
- Use the story’s words in real life (“No means not right now”), and model them when you hear “no” too.
- Notice tries, not perfect calm. Big feelings are allowed; the story is about what to do with them.
Good to know
- These stories are for everyday disappointments and changes. They never mean a child should put up with pain, fear, unsafe touch, bullying or anything that hurts — telling a trusted adult is always the right answer there.
- Nothing here asks a child to make eye contact, hug anyone — family included — stop stimming or stop crying. Crying and moving are ways bodies cope, and headphones or a break are always allowed.
- Where a story says a grown-up will do something — stop when a hand goes up, give a warning, keep a “later” spot — make sure it really happens, or change that page. A signal that isn’t honoured teaches a child their words don’t work.
- The aim is understanding and choices, not a quiet or compliant child. Asking “why?”, saying no to touch and disagreeing in words are skills to welcome.
- Visual stories help many children and not every child. Adapt, skip or change any page. This is an educational resource, not therapy or medical advice.