Little Ted didn't want to go to bed

Little Ted didn’t want to go to bed. Little Ted wasn’t feeling tired so he was stalling for time and kept asking his Mummy questions.

“Why do stars shine?” Little Ted asked.

“Mmn, stars give out light just like the sun” answered his Mummy.

“But they aren’t as bright as the sun” Little Ted replied “and they’re really small.”

“That’s because stars are a long, long way away and the light has travelled very far before you see it.”

“And why does the light sometimes wobble?” 

Little Ted’s Mummy sighed. They had both had a busy day and now she was ready for Little Ted to go to bed so she could sit down in front of the television with a cup of tea. Little Ted however seemed determined to stay up for as long as possible.

“Do you remember the nursery rhyme about stars?” said his Mummy trying to distract Little Ted from asking any more questions. “I used to sing that song to you when you were a baby to help you fall asleep. Let’s see if it works tonight. You can join in if you know the words:

Twinkle, twinkle little star
 How I wonder what you are
 Up above the world so high
 Like a diamond in the sky
 Twinkle, twinkle little star
 How I wonder what you are

Now are you feeling tired yet Little Ted?”

“Not really” Little Ted said. “Will you read me a story?”

“Okay, but just one story. Which story would you like tonight?”

Little Ted had plenty of different storybooks. Some of them had lots of pictures which showed the story as well having words, and some were mostly words that his Mummy or Daddy read to him. But his favourite book had a different bedtime story for every day of the year and he picked it up and gave it to his Mummy. 

“Read me the story for today please” Little Ted asked.

“And do you know what day it is?”

“Saturday”

“And do you know what month it is?”

“May?” Little Ted said hopefully as he had no idea what month it was.

“Not May that is in Spring. Just now it is wintertime and the month is December. Look here is the story for today’s date and it is all about a little robin bird – do you see the picture? Remember we saw a robin in our garden last week.”

Little Ted snuggled up next to his Mummy listening to the story about the plucky little robin who helped out his friends.  It was very cold outside and the little robin had to break the ice on the water with his beak, so his friends could have a drink. And then he gave them some of his feathers, so they could stay warm. But his most important task was to sing all day long which kept everyone cheerful in the cold weather. When the story was finished, Little Ted smiled.

“That was a nice story. I hope we see the robin in our garden again.”

“Well if we keep on putting out some food for the birds, I’m sure we will. Now time to go to sleep young man.”

“Night night” Little Ted said and he gave his Mummy a kiss “see you in the morning.”

“Night night Little Ted, sweet dreams.”

The End