Nina learns how to wait her turn for the swing with the help of a caring grown-up, discovering that patience can lead to proud feelings and fun.
The sun was shining in the park. Nina saw the big, yellow swing. "I want to swing!" she said, her heart doing a happy dance. She started to run toward it, her pigtails bouncing. But when she got closer, her happy dance slowed down. Someone else was already there. A boy named Leo was swinging back and forth, up to the sky. Nina's smile faded. She wanted her turn right now.
A little storm cloud of feelings swirled inside Nina. Her feet stomped on the soft grass. "It's not fair!" she whispered. Her hands made into frustrated fists. She looked at the empty swing seat next to Leo, but the rules were clear: only one person per swing for safety. Waiting felt too hard. She just wanted to fly through the air, feeling the wind whoosh past her ears. What could she do?
Just then, Ms. Anya walked over. She had seen Nina's stompy feet and worried face. "Hello, Nina," she said in her calm, sunny voice. "I see you really want a turn on the swing. It can feel tricky to wait, can't it?" Nina nodded, her bottom lip feeling wobbly. Ms. Anya knelt down. "Let's look together. What's happening right now?" Nina pointed. "Leo is swinging." "That's right," said Ms. Anya. "He's having his turn."
"When you want a turn, you can use your calm words to ask," Ms. Anya said gently. "You could say, 'Leo, may I have a turn after you, please?'" Nina practiced the words softly. They felt like polite magic words. "And while you wait," Ms. Anya continued, "your body might need a deep, slow breath." She took a big breath in through her nose, like smelling a flower, and let it out through her mouth, like blowing out a candle. Nina copied her.
Feeling a little calmer, Nina walked closer to the swing. She remembered her calm words. "Leo," she said, "may I have a turn after you, please?" Leo looked over, his glasses glinting. "Okay!" he called back, pumping his legs. "I'm almost done!" A spark of hope lit up in Nina's chest. She had asked! Now she just had to wait. Ms. Anya gave her a thumbs-up and a smile.
Waiting was still there, but now Nina had a plan. "Let's count something while we wait," Ms. Anya suggested. "How many blue things can we see?" Nina looked around. "One blue bird! Two blue flowers on that lady's hat! Three blue buttons on your cardigan!" Counting made the time feel different. It wasn't just empty waiting; it was a looking-and-counting game. She saw a squirrel scramble up a tree.
"You could also do a very short activity," Ms. Anya said. "How about we make a tiny sandcastle? Just one tower." They walked to the sandbox nearby. Nina patted the damp sand into a little mound. She found a twig for a flag. Making the castle was fun, and it only took a minute. When she patted the last bit of sand, she heard Leo call out, "Nina! Your turn!"
Nina's turn! She ran back to the big yellow swing. Ms. Anya helped her get settled safely. "You did it, Nina. You used your words, you took a breath, you played a little, and you waited." Nina felt a warm, proud feeling spread from her toes to her pigtails. She hadn't grabbed or yelled. She had waited with calm words and kind hands. Now, it was finally her time to fly.
Nina pushed off with her feet. Whoosh! Back and forth she went, higher and higher. The wind sang past her ears, and the world looked wonderful from up there. She could see the sandbox with her tiny castle and Ms. Anya waving. The proud feeling swung right along with her. Waiting had been hard, but she had done it. And now, swinging felt absolutely, perfectly wonderful.
