Riya and the Funny Feeling

The school bell rang, and Riya hurried out with her bag.

Every day, Amma picked her up from the school gate. Today, Riya waited with her friend Meena under the neem tree, near the gate where her teacher, Miss Latha, was standing.

“I think my father is here,” Meena said, waving. “Bye, Riya!”

“Bye!” said Riya.

She watched the children go home one by one. Amma was not there yet.

A man walked up to her with a big smile. Riya had seen him once before, at a shop near her home, but she did not know his name.

“Hello, Riya,” he said. “Your mother is busy today. She asked me to take you home. Come with me. We will be quick.”

Riya felt a funny feeling in her tummy.

Amma had never said anything about someone else picking her up. And her family had a plan: only people Amma and Achan told her about beforehand could take her home.

“No, thank you,” Riya said, in a clear voice. “I will wait for Amma.”

“Don’t be silly,” the man said. “Your mother is waiting. Come on. And don’t bother your teacher. It will be our little secret.”

Riya’s feeling grew stronger. A grown-up who really knew her family would not ask her to keep a secret from her teacher.

She remembered what she had practised: Notice. Move to safety. Tell a trusted adult.

She took a step back. Then she turned and walked quickly to Miss Latha, who was standing by the gate with other teachers.

“Miss Latha,” Riya said. “That man says my mother asked him to take me home. But Amma did not tell me. I want to wait with you.”

Miss Latha put a hand on Riya’s shoulder. “Thank you for telling me. You did exactly the right thing. Stay here with me.”

She spoke calmly with the man and told him that children go home only with the adults their families have named. The man walked away.

Miss Latha then called Amma, who arrived a few minutes later. She hugged Riya tightly.

“I am so proud of you,” Amma said. “You listened to your feeling, you said no, you moved to a safe place, and you told a trusted adult.”

“I was a little scared,” Riya admitted.

“That is okay,” said Amma. “You were brave and you asked for help. Keep telling us whenever something feels wrong, even if you are not sure why.”

That evening, Riya and her family sat together and updated their plan. They wrote down the names of the grown-ups who were allowed to pick her up. Riya drew a little star next to Miss Latha’s name.

Riya felt safe, and she felt strong.

SAFETY LESSON

NOTICE.
If something feels wrong, listen to your feeling. You do not need to know exactly why.

MOVE TO SAFETY.
Say no clearly and go to a safe, busy place near a trusted adult.

TELL A TRUSTED ADULT.
Tell what happened, even if someone asked you to keep it secret. You will not be in trouble for telling.

PARENT / TEACHER NOTE

Read the story calmly and keep the discussion short and reassuring. The aim is for children to feel capable, not afraid. Agree a pick-up plan with your child and your school, and make sure children know which adults are allowed to collect them. Where a child may be at risk of harm, adults should follow the safeguarding requirements applicable to their local setting. Discussion questions:

1. What was Riya’s funny feeling telling her?
2. Why did Riya go to Miss Latha?
3. Who are the trusted adults you can tell if something feels wrong?