The Umbrella of Us
Lila loved rainy days. Her big, bright umbrella, covered in rainbow colours, popped open with a whoosh!
One drizzly afternoon, she called to her friends, “Come stand under my umbrella!”
Tom, who found loud noises tricky, stepped in. “It’s quieter here,” he said. Amira, who loved words, sang, “A shelter bright, it feels just right!”
Jake, full of exciting ideas, Rosie, who thought carefully, and Max, who loved to twirl, all joined in.
Miss Patel watched them and smiled. “Your umbrella reminds me of the neurodiversity umbrella,” she said.
“The what?” asked Lila.
“Neurodiversity is a big umbrella term for the different ways people’s brains work,” Miss Patel explained. “Like how Tom prefers quiet, Amira plays with words, Jake’s mind buzzes with ideas, Rosie takes her time, and Max moves in his own way.”
“So we all fit under the same umbrella?” asked Jake.
“Exactly,” Miss Patel said. “Some people are autistic, some have ADHD, some are great at music or maths, and some find reading tricky. The world is better because we all think and feel differently.”
Lila smiled at her colourful umbrella. “That means everyone belongs.”
The children huddled closer, happy under their amazing umbrella. The rain kept falling, but they didn’t mind—because under the umbrella, they were all together.
★★★★★7.3
