To my surprise, that question made him pause. He looked around, and then he very quietly said, “I’m still hungry.” I made him another PB&J sandwich and sat with him while he ate. He was definitely hungry, but I also think he needed a mental health break. I didn’t anticipate it at the time, but by asking him to tell me what he needed, I shifted the burden to him to identify and begin to address what, exactly, was bothering him.
