Milo and the Empty Room
A comforting story about moving and making a new place feel like home.
Milo stood in the doorway of his new bedroom. It was big, and it was empty. The walls were white. The floor echoed when he walked. There was no bed, no toys, and no friendly shadows.
“I do not like it,” he told his father. “It does not feel like my room.” His father knelt down and looked around. “It is a little bare,” he agreed. “But it is a good size, and it has a lovely window.”
Milo looked at the window. It showed a gum tree and a patch of blue sky. A magpie sat in the tree, warbling softly. That was nice. He decided he would give the room a chance.
First, the men carried in his bed. His father put the blue quilt on it, the one with stars. It smelled like home. Milo sat on the bed and bounced. The springs went boing.
Next, he unpacked a box of books. He lined them up on a shelf, tall ones first. Then he found his stuffed owl, Barney. He propped him up against the pillow. “There you are,” said Milo.
His mother taped his favourite drawing to the wall, the one of a green dinosaur eating pancakes. His father hung a string of fairy lights above the bed. They twinkled like tiny stars.
By the afternoon, the room looked a lot different. There were books, and a rug, and a toy basket. There was a drawing, and lights, and a window with a magpie. It was starting to look like Milo.
That night, his father read him a story in the new bed. Milo looked around the room, and it did not echo anymore. “I like it,” he whispered. “It feels like mine.”
✨ Key Takeaways
- Moving is a big change, and it is normal to feel strange at first.
- Familiar things can help a new place feel like home.
- Our feelings can change as we get used to somewhere new.
💬 Questions for Discussion & Reflection
- Why did Milo not like his room at first?
- What did Milo put in the room to make it his own?
- What would you put in your room to make it feel like home?