Tolerant Meaning for Kids

Lunch Box Conversations

Meera: "Your lunch box smells funny, Aarav. What is that?"

Aarav: "It’s fish curry. My amma made it. You always say that."

Meera: "But it’s so strong! My aloo paratha never smells like that."

Aarav: "Well, your pickle smells strong to me, but I don’t make faces."

Meera: "I’m not making faces… okay, maybe a tiny face."

Aarav: "It makes me feel like my food is yucky."

Meera: "I didn’t mean that. I just… don’t like the smell."

Teacher Aunty: "Different tiffins, different smells. That’s the best part of lunch time."

Meera: "But what if I don’t like some of them?"

Teacher Aunty: "You don’t have to like everything, but you can be tolerant about it."

Meera: "Tolerant means… I sit with him even if I don’t like the smell?"

Teacher Aunty: "And you talk kindly, because his food is special to him, like yours is to you."

Aarav: "My amma fries the fish with curry leaves. I love when the steam hits my face."

Meera: "My nani toasts the parathas with ghee till they puff up. I love that smell."

Aarav: "See? Our boxes are like different festivals."

Meera: "Okay, I’ll be tolerant. I’ll hold my nose inside my head and open my eyes outside."

Aarav: "Deal. And I’ll be tolerant when your pickle attacks my nose."

Teacher Aunty: "Now that’s a very tolerant lunch table. Pass me a tiny piece of both!"