Hi,
This is Carrie.
Now I know you probably had a busy day today.
What did you do?
Who did you see or talk to?
What did you eat?
You know it's fun to be alive,
To explore,
To learn,
And to even listen.
That's right.
So as you lie there in bed,
Nice and cozy and warm,
I'm going to tell you a story about Ryan.
Now Ryan was always having trouble in school because,
Well,
Ryan just doesn't listen.
During story time,
Instead of quietly listening,
Ryan,
He just bounces around the room.
And the teacher will say,
Please sit down.
Be quiet and listen,
Ryan.
But Ryan,
He doesn't listen.
He's bouncing super crazy on that little mini trampoline.
And the teacher said,
Ryan,
You're bouncing too high.
You might hit your head.
But Ryan,
Ryan doesn't listen and bonked his head.
And at recess,
His friends tried to warn him about the truck he was just about to trip over.
Hey,
Ryan,
Watch your step,
Said his friends.
But Ryan doesn't listen.
And he tripped and he fell and he skinned his knee.
After lunch,
Ryan's friend tried to tell him something important.
And she was talking,
Talking,
Talking,
Talking to Ryan.
But Ryan doesn't listen.
And it made her sad.
It made her feel ignored.
And then at recess,
Some of Ryan's friends were playing dodgeball.
And his friend said,
Hey,
Ryan,
Catch.
But Ryan doesn't listen.
And the ball hit him right in the face.
And then when they were working on an art project in the classroom,
The teacher reminded all the students to keep the paint on the paper.
But Ryan,
He doesn't listen.
He spilled the paints all over the floor.
And some of the paint even splashed up and got the other girl's dress all covered in paint.
So the teacher asked Ryan to take a time out.
Ryan sat in a chair in the corner.
He felt sad.
Ryan doesn't like being alone and in trouble.
So he sits there and begins to think and think about his day.
He thinks about how he jumped so high that he bonked his head.
He thinks about how he tripped over the truck.
He thinks about how the ball hit him in the face.
And he thinks about the friend that he ignored and how he hurt her feelings.
And then he thinks about the paint.
In that moment,
Ryan makes up his mind.
From that moment on,
He vows that he will try very hard to be the best listener that he can be.
And so the very next day,
Ryan does listen during story time.
He waits for his turn to talk and then asks a question about the story.
The teacher is very impressed and proud of Ryan for finally listening.
The teacher is so proud that she gives Ryan a big star because Ryan is really listening.
And while walking home from school,
Ryan uses both his eyes and ears to help stay safe.
Ryan is really listening and paying attention.
And when Ryan gets home,
He listens to his mom.
When his mom asked him to please hang up his backpack and go to his room to clean it up.
Okay,
Says Ryan,
And he does.
He hangs up his backpack and cleans up all his toys.
Ryan is really listening and he feels good and proud.
And so Ryan goes outside and sees one of his friends because now he has extra time to play and have fun.
And he listens to his friend.
He shares his toys.
He even listens to his friend tell him a joke.
And his friend says,
Awesome listening,
Ryan.
Thank you.
I really appreciate it when you listen.
And then when it's time for bed,
Ryan makes sure to brush his teeth.
He loves listening to story time.
Ryan is really,
Really listening.
And he loves it.
And as Ryan climbs into his bed and looks at that big gold star that he got,
He feels so good inside.
His mommy sits at the end of the bed and reads him a story.
And Ryan realizes that it is important to listen.
It keeps you safe.
And so Ryan lies there,
Eyes heavy,
Proud.
And you should be too.
And so sleep a deep,
Wonderful sleep,
Learning to listen and keeping yourself safe.
So sleep a deep,
Peaceful,
Wonderful sleep.
Night night.
