Ella is the fastest cheetah on the savanna. She zips through chores, races through homework, and loves being the first one done. But moving fast all the time creates problems. Ella makes mistakes, misses directions, and has to redo her work again and again. Ella believes that finishing first means doing her best, but her wise friend Tommy the Turtle shows her something different. He teaches Ella that slowing down helps her stay focused, listen carefully, and take pride in quality work. Through check-ins and simple routines, Ella learns how to: • Notice when her body is moving too fast • Follow the SLOW method: Stop and think, Look at the task, Organize the steps, Work hard • Take responsibility for her work and feel proud of her careful effort Children will see themselves in Ella’s rush to get things done and will learn that slowing down does not mean working less. It means working smart. This story helps children: • Understand the difference between rushing and working carefully • Build awareness of body clues like speed, distraction, or impatience • Develop responsibility and attention to detail • Strengthen executive functioning and task follow-through • Use emotional vocabulary such as embarrassed, annoyed, proud, excited, and uncomfortable The Counseling Corner offers adults practical ways to support slowing down, encourage quality work, and apply the SLOW method in their daily routines. A warm and encouraging story that teaches kids to slow down, take their time, and feel proud of their best effort.