"A Difficult Morning at Preschool"

The next morning, Ashley was sipping her coffee and getting ready for the day when her phone rang. She answered it to hear Mrs. Thompson's voice on the other end. "Ashley, I'm so sorry to have to call you in again, but Ender has been talking about some things in class that I think we need to discuss," Mrs. Thompson said, her tone apologetic. Ashley's heart sank as she wondered what Ender had said this time. She grabbed her bag and headed out the door, arriving at the preschool a few minutes later. When she walked into the classroom, Ender was sitting at a table, looking up at her with a mixture of excitement and innocence on his face. Mrs. Thompson greeted her and led her to a quiet corner of the room. "Ashley, Ender has been telling his friends about his family, and I think it's time we had a talk about it," Mrs. Thompson said gently. Ashley took a deep breath and nodded, wondering what Ender had said this time. "It seems that Ender told everyone that he doesn't have a dad, and that it's just him and you, and that you're often sick and throw up at night," Mrs. Thompson said, her expression sympathetic. Ashley's face grew hot with embarrassment and worry. She hadn't realized that Ender had shared that with his friends, and she wasn't sure how to handle it. "I...I don't know what to say," Ashley stammered, feeling a sense of unease. Mrs. Thompson put a hand on her arm. "It's okay, Ashley. We all have to deal with these kinds of conversations at some point. The thing is, Ender is a sweet and curious child, and he's just trying to make sense of his world. But it's also important that we help him understand that it's okay to have questions and that we can talk about them." Ashley nodded, taking a deep breath. She knew that Mrs. Thompson was right. She just wished that Ender hadn't shared that with his friends. "What do you think I should do?" Ashley asked, feeling a sense of uncertainty. Mrs. Thompson smiled. "I think we should talk to Ender together, and help him understand that it's okay to have a family that's a little different. And we can also work on finding ways to help him feel more comfortable talking about his family with his friends." Ashley nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Mrs. Thompson. She knew that she wasn't alone in this, and that with Mrs. Thompson's help, she could find a way to support Ender and help him navigate these difficult conversations.