The story of Ronti Rabbit

story written by psychologist Maria Baumgarten

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Ronti was a cute little bunny from the small group in kindergarten. He liked to dance, to sing, to listen to stories, but most of all he liked to nibble. All the time he was begging for something to eat.

When he was at home, his mother and his father Rabbit had the feeling that Ronti would also ring their ears, always asking for something from the magic storing room, where they had endless resources of food. At the kindergarten he was hungry before the snack and to quell his desire for snacking, he was eating the toys.

Rabbit Ronti always wanted that things happen the way he wishes, for example, when he wanted to play with a toy, he wanted the have that toy the same moment; if they went to lunch, he always wanted to be the first in line; if other children were taking the cradle at the playground, he wanted them to renounce in his favour. When he was told to wait for his turn, Ronti became so angry that if he didn't have something to nibble on, he would crunch his own nails, so Ronti was often with his hand in his mouth, crunching his own nails. Over time, he had become so accustomed to nibble his nails that he began to feel peaceful only when he did that.

Every new event, or new acquaintance, would shake him and make bite his nails until he calmed down. Also when he made something stupid and confronted by his mother, or in the kindergarten, he used to byte his fingernails to feel better.

At bedtime, until he fell asleep, Ronti was often seen with his finger in his mouth. Also, the nail was nobbled even when bored and felt like there was nothing interesting to do. He was crunchnig his nails without realizing what he was doing. So today, tomorrow, practically, every day he was nibbling his own nails, so Ronti's beautiful nails had become sad, small and ugly. The tooth with which he was also nibbling carrots and salad began to crumble and hurt. However, Ronti continued to stick his finger in his mouth, although his mother and father Rabbit were trying to persuade him every day to give up this nasty habit.

One night, the rabbit dreamed: he was in a large field with many carrots where there were many happy rabbits eating carrots. Only he stood aside and watched, because his fingernails were gone, he had eaten them all and could no longer remove the carrots from the ground, because his fingers ached. When, finally, another rabbit gave him a carrot and he happily brought it to his mouth to eat it, he realized that his teeth, which until then were beautiful and powerful, had become weak and painful and he could not chew the carrot.

Ronti woke up scared and decided to do something to keep his nails from dissapearing, so he decided to ask for help, Mr. Knows All. Mr. Knows All was a very intelligent rabbit who had solutions to all problems. So, in the morning, Ronti asked his mother to take him to Mr. Knows All.

- Hey, good morning, Ronti, says Mr. Knows All. What brings you to me?

- Well, well ... murmured Ronti, he did not feel good to admit that his nails were small and sad because he nibbled them. It was also hard to say about the blunt and painful teeth.

But because Mr. Knows All really knew everything, he told Ronti:

- Hey Ronti, did you decide to give up nail-biting? If so, you've come to the right person, I can really help you!

- Seriously !? Ronti was surprised, full of hope and joy. You know, Mr. Knows All, I really don't want to bite my nails, but I really can't help myself, I don't even realize when I do it and I'm really sad. I want to have beautiful nails and strong teeth again. You know, I can't play anymore because my fingers hurt and when I eat my teeth can't chew the food anymore, because they are bunt and they hurt.

- I know, I know, Ronti, I will help you, but you have to do exactly what I tell you. Are you ready?

- Yes! says Ronti, full of joy.

- Be careful, Ronti! Did you know that everyone makes mistakes?

- Even you, Mr. Knows All?

- Yes, even me, but when I am wrong and someone argues for it, I do not bite my nails.

- No? But what are you doing Mr. Knows All?

- I admit my mistake, I try to fix it and, of course, I apologize. I know that we all sometimes make mistakes, and I can accept to be quarreled by me lady, who, between us, really knows it all. The two look at each other and start laughing.

- But when you want to be the first one in a row and you can't, because there are other children who want the same thing, what do you do, Mr. Knows All?

- Well, when I was in kindergarten, I left these things to the educator, she always knew what was best for us children and what we should do, to be friends again. And because all the children in our small group were friends to each other, it didn't bother anyone who was first, because he or she was a friend anyway, and friends don't get angry with each other for such a small thing. And I knew that I was important, regardless of whether I was first or last.

- But, Mr. Knows All, when you had to go to midnap and you could not fall asleep, what were you doing?

- Well, in those moments, together with my friends from kindergarten, we learned how to relax. If you want, I can teach you one of my relaxation methods, and you can learn and practice with your friends from kindergarten, what do you say?

- Yes, of course I want, I am all ears!

- O.K., Ronti, let's try it together! Be careful: first time we learn how to breathe so that our body feels free and easy. We breathe air into our chest while counting to three, come on, let's start, inhale 1… .2… .3… HHHHHHHHHHHHAAA, now we hold the air in the chest until we count to two 1… 2, and now we exhale and we remove the air from the chest, while we count again 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... HUHUHUHUHU. Did you succeed, Ronti?

- Yes, I did!

- Good, let's try a few more times. Now I think you are ready to give up the nail biting, what do you say?

- Yes, I think so, Mr. Knows All.

So, Ronti happily left the house, eager to tell his friends from kindergarten what he learned from Mr. Knows All.

Ronti has since implemented everything Mr. Knows All told him. He has been helped by parents and theacher who have reminded him, as often as he has forgotten, about the things they have learned.

Ronti also noted one thing, that Knows All, although he knew it all, he was also wrong from time to time and that made Ronti feel very good.