Low Self Esteem Therapeutic Story
This is a therapeutic story for children who have low self-esteem. It is aimed at children from 7 to 12 years old, but children outside of this age group may find the story helpful.
Read the story below or buy the illustrated PDF download from the store.
The Little Oyster
Once upon a time there was a little oyster who lived in a large rock pool. The oyster was reliable and kind, but she did not think she had any special talents. The oyster loved to find a hiding place and watch the other animals in the rockpool - she knew everything there was to know about them.
One day a sea anemone showed the rock pool animals its tentacles. The other animals gathered around and admired how far the tentacles could reach and how flexible they were. The little oyster had never seen anything like them before.
One of the animals asked the little oyster if she had tentacles. The little oyster didn’t have any, she had a pearl. She thought her pearl was small and plain and she felt embarrassed so she let out a nervous laugh. The animals all turned to look at her. She closed her shell tight and tried to make herself invisible.
As the tide began to come in, the little oyster wriggled deeper into the sand. Soon she was completely hidden. There were no marks on the sand to show where she had been. She had never felt so alone. Hiding away she thought, “I’m rubbish. I’m stupid. I can’t even grow a proper pearl like oysters are meant to.”
The tide went out, the night turned to day and the animals swam around the rock pool. They played together but they didn’t spot the little oyster. She was far too well hidden beneath the sand.
The tide came in and the little oyster heard a voice calling for help. She opened one eye and saw a tiny fish being pushed around by the waves. The fish spotted her and cried out again. Without thinking the little oyster opened her shell a crack and the tiny fish swam in.
When the pool was calm again the little oyster opened her shell and the tiny fish swam out. “Thank you, thank you” said the tiny fish, “you were the only one that noticed me! Thank you for protecting me from the waves.” Then the tiny fish joined its friends and disappeared into the distance.
The tide went out, the night turned to day and the animals swam around the rock pool. They played together but they didn’t spot the little oyster. She was far too well hidden beneath the sand.
The tide came in and the little oyster heard voices calling for help. She opened one eye and saw a sucker fish and a tiny crab being pushed around by the waves. They spotted her and cried out again. The little oyster opened her shell a crack and the crab scuttled in. Then she wriggled out of the sand and told the sucker fish to hold onto her shell.
When the pool was calm again the little oyster opened her shell. The sucker fish let go and the tiny crab scuttled out. “Thank you, thank you” they said, “You were the only one that noticed us! Thank you for protecting us from the waves.” Then they joined the other animals in the rock pool and disappeared into the distance.
The tide went out, the night turned to day and the animals swam around the rock pool playing together. They noticed the little oyster all on her own poking out of the sand. They hoped she would join them, but the little oyster stayed still and silent.
The tide came in and the tide went out. The little oyster stayed still and silent as she thought. The little oyster realised that comparing herself to others didn’t make her happy. She had been so busy trying to be invisible that she had forgotten how valuable her own skills and talents were.
The tide went out, the night turned to day and the animals swam around the rock pool playing together. The little oyster heard them and with all her courage she joined in their game.
The little oyster did not have one talent; she had lots of talents. Each of her pearls was decorated with the colours and patterns of the animals she had helped. Each one was special because it was unique.
She finally truly believed that she was special because she was unique. There was no one else like her in the rock pool and she wouldn’t change that for the world!
Story © Catherine Lynch
Illustrations © Sarah Cook
