Tito’s birthday is in two weeks and he’s yet to come up with a theme for the party. He walks to the living room and asks his parents “Mum, Dad, what kind of party should I have for my birthday, and who can I invite? Tito’s mum suggests a Disney-themed party and Tito’s dad suggests an outdoor circus party. Tito is unhappy about the decisions because he doesn’t want to have the same kinds of birthday parties as his friends from school. So, he sulks and walks away to his room.
While holding his favourite toy, Ty the tortoise, he asks him “What kind of party should I have for my birthday Ty?’ “A tea party?” ‘In the tea room?” “Alright Ty, thank you”. Tito runs back to the living room to inform his parents that he wants to have a tea party themed birthday and he wants it to happen in the tea room. Tito’s dad then asks him “Okay Tito. But with a tea party, you can only have eight friends, as the tea room cannot take more than ten people. So, what are you going to do?”. Tito looks at his dad and then his mum. “Mum, if the tea party can only take ten people, why can I bring only eight people, what about the remaining two people?” Tito asks while counting his fingers to ensure he did his math calculation properly. Tito’s mum smiles and says, “Well, the room will take you, the birthday boy, plus your eight friends, and then an adult, either daddy or myself who will make sure that you’re all doing okay”. Tito looks sad and expresses to his parents that he has more than eight friends. “Tito dear, if you want a tea party, I’m afraid this is what we can do for you. Why don’t you go to your room, get a piece of paper and pencil and write down the names of the friends you want to invite then come show it to us”.
Tito walks to his room and sits down beside Ty asking him to help come up with names for his tea themed birthday party. After a while, Tito goes to his parent’s room to show them his guest list. The list contains twelve names with a message from Tito asking his parents to help him choose eight. “Okay Tito, here’s how we’re going to do the selection process. I’ll call out the names of your friends and you’ll tell me why you want them here. If you do not have anything good to say about someone, we have to take them off the list.” “Okay mummy” Tito replies.
Tito’s mum starts to read out the names of the twelve people.
When the first name is called, Tito asks his dad to choose for him whether or not they’re good. Tito’s dad smiles at him and tells him, “you are the only one who can say whether your friends are good. Mum and I do not know them as much as you do. So, why not close your eyes and think of your friends as mummy calls the names. If anyone has been kind to you, say, ‘tea time’, and if they haven’t, say ‘no tea time’. Tito excitedly closes his eyes and chants appropriate responses for each of the names called.
By the end of the exercise, Tito’s guest list was no longer twelve, it was six. Surprised, mum and dad ask Tito why he chose just six people for his tea party themed birthday, instead of eight and he says “ Ty the tortoise is my friend too and I want him there. Also, I do not want either daddy or mummy there, I want the both of you there”. Smiling Tito gives his smiling parents a big hug and a big kiss. He goes to his room to share more of his ideas with Ty while his parents start working to plan the best tea-themed party for their best boy Tito.
Tea Time With Tito won second place in the 2021 Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature. Stephanie’s website is https://www.stephanieodili.com/
Click to read The Millionaire Orphan – 1st place winner
Click to read The Enchanted Pen – 3rd place winner
Click to see the full list of the winners
