Meet Noah

💛 A Little About Me

Hey, I'm Noah! I'm 12, and I have a LOT of energy. I'm affectionate, funny and generous — I like sharing what I have. I love skateboarding, basketball, building things and hanging out with my friends. When I get a new idea, I want to start right away.

I live with my mom, my stepdad and my little siblings, who are 4 and 6. Our home is loving. It's also busy, noisy and sometimes kind of chaotic. My siblings need a lot of help, and I get that — they're little.

So I hear things like "Just a minute," "Let me help your sister first" and "We'll talk later" a lot. Sometimes later never comes. Not because my family doesn't care. Everybody just gets distracted.

⚡ Something That Happened

Last year, my mom promised to come to my school basketball tournament. I practiced for weeks. I couldn't wait to see her in the stands.

On game day, my little sister got sick and needed urgent care, so my mom couldn't come. I understood. My sister needed her.

Still, during the game, I kept looking over at the empty seat.

Afterward, my mom said sorry. I said, "It's fine." It didn't feel fine. I started to worry: if I wait quietly, people might forget about me.

🏫 In Our Classroom

In science, we were doing an activity with new equipment, and I was waiting for my turn. Five minutes. Then ten. My teacher was busy helping other groups.

Every time I asked when I could go, I heard, "Just a minute."

Then my teacher said time was almost up. I still hadn't had a turn. It just came out: "You ALWAYS say that! I never get a turn!"

🌱 What I'm Learning

I'm practicing asking for a specific time, like, "Can I have a turn in five minutes?" A turn-taking schedule I can see really helps. So does finding something to do while I wait.

I'm learning to show I'm disappointed without interrupting or accusing. And it really helps when adults follow through on what they say.