By Giannira Giunti
A few weeks ago, a Puma found the courage to share with me: “sometimes playing with a close friend feels too rough, and not always fun”. He added, “I think I’ve seen other Pumas feeling uncomfortable too.” When I asked what he wanted to do with this situation, we agreed on having a Peace Table, a space in Tinkuy where Pumas reflect on what didn’t feel good, listen to one another, and create agreements.
The following morning after Launch the Pumas had already gathered and invited an experienced Puma leader (9 years old) to guide the Peace Table! I stepped in quietly, just to observe.
The conversation began, all of them started to share their part of the story:
“I like playing with you, but sometimes it feels too strong, and I get a mix of feelings like upset and sad.”
“I like when we laugh together or you shake my shoulders, but shouting or pointing at me with a pencil scares me.”
“Can I ask? Why do you do it? I think sometimes you think it is a joke, but maybe it doesn’t land that way. I like playing together, but I don’t enjoy head-bumps in the patio”
“For me is the shouting, it scares me”
“I do these things to play, or because sometimes I try to protect silent flow and when you get distracted I feel desperate inside, like I lose control, and I shout loud. I feel sorry and regret, I don’t want to do it again.”
The rest listened and responded: “Thank you.”
Together, they agreed to shake shoulders but not head-bumps, to play or talk without shouting, to step back or breathe deeply when feeling frustrated, to avoid using pencils or objects for pointing, and to say “that’s enough” instead of “stop” when it’s time to end the game. With lighter hearts, they closed the Peace Table and went to play.
Why It Matters
It´s hard to put into words what happened at that peace table. The atmosphere, the pauses, the gentle tone, it all went beyond what I could capture in this blog. What inspired and made me want to share it was the respect, vulnerability and honesty they chose to show. They knew it was a difficult conversation and didn’t want anyone to get hurt. They took turns, respected silence and praised others when speaking was hard.
That day each Puma walked away with something meaningful: some learned to use their voices to name a boundary and take action, others to express regret, and all of them had the chance to repair through agreements and forgiveness.
I can't help but wonder: what if an adult had taken over? Would they have carried a powerful lesson with them or the memory of being corrected?