School · Teacher, I Can't Do It · story about asking for help · learning to do it yourself · screen-free audio story

That morning, at Lila's school, the sky was all grey with a little chilly wind: proper coat weather. And Miss Lou has just clapped her hands: they're going out to play in the yard! Everyone runs to fetch their coat from their hook. Lila puts on her lovely yellow coat, one sleeve, then the other. Just one thing left to do: close the zip. «And that, I can do all by myself, like a big girl.»

Except the zip does not agree. It jams, it catches, it refuses to go up. Lila pulls, pulls again, gets a little cross… but nothing works. And up comes the big lump in her throat, that urge to cry when you can't do it and you'd so said you were a big girl. Asking for help, that's almost harder than the zip itself.

So, ever so gently, Lila learns something very important: asking for help isn't being a baby, it's even very clever. She goes to Miss Lou, who doesn't do the zip for her, but SHOWS her: you hold the bottom firmly, you line it up, you pull straight. And the next time, Lila almost manages all on her own. Then she even helps Noé, in turn.

This story helps your child understand that it's fine not to get it right the first time, and that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. It also shows the lovely chain of helping hands: you get a bit of help, then you give some in turn. A precious message about perseverance and solidarity.

And when the yellow coat is finally done up right to the chin, all cosy, Lila dashes off to play in the yard, proud of herself and proud to have helped Noé. The day ends in good cheer, and the story settles gently down, right in time to close your eyes.

Miss Lou doesn't scold Lila and doesn't close the zip for her: she shows her how, so she'll manage on her own next time. Helping a little one learn rather than doing it for them is the whole spirit of Tilibou bedtime stories. And on the coat rack, the little-sun labels wait patiently for the return from the yard.

A gentle, screen-free school story for toddlers from age 2, lovely at bedtime, at nap time, or on the road. As always with Tilibou, the ending stays soft and quiet, without music, so your little one can settle down calmly. 🎒

👉 All the Tilibou bedtime stories at tilibou.com

💡 Tip: to listen to one world back-to-back, choose its season (Noisette, Léo, Cassie, Marin, Tom the Pirate, or the Christmas, Halloween and School seasons).

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