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Foreign. And welcome to Sleep Tight Stories. Each week we share a few shout outs and birthday wishes for listeners who help support the show. It's a small way we say thank you and it always makes us smile. Happy belated birthday to tessa who turned 11 on April 19th. We love you to the moon and all the stars and back. Love Mama, Jackie, Candy and Star Moon. Happy belated birthday to Jack Swanson. Happy 10th birthday to our kind, loving, smart son, Jackson. Keep up the great work with drawing, Legos, jujitsu and soccer. We love you so much and hope you have the best birthday ever. Love mom, dad and Mason. Happy 9th birthday to our sweet Rue. Watching you grow into such a bright, funny and lovable girl fills our heart with joy every single day. We love you more than words can say and are so proud of you. Love always Mama, Daddy and Hillel. Happy 10th birthday Monica Rose in Ireland. We love you like space which never ends. Mama, Dada, Sophie, Dylan, Maxie and Puppy. Happy seventh birthday Belle. You. You make life so much brighter just by being you. Watching you grow into such a kind, funny, amazing kid has been the best part of our lives. Love Mommy, Daddy, Nana and professor. Happy 9th birthday Georgia girl. We are so proud of you. Your bravery, your kind heart, your sweet smile, happy laugh and creative and bright mind. We hope this year is the best ever. We love you. Sweet dreams Jellybean. Love mom, dad, Benny, Gibby and Maggie. Happy Birthday to our sweet boy Brock. You have such a huge imagination and we are so proud of all you do. We love you so very much. Love mom, dad and Lainey. Happy seventh birthday to Harper Lee from Galesville, Wisconsin. Mommy, Daddy, Jagger and Rella are all so proud of you and we love you to the moon and back. Happy 6th birthday to Jack from Kansas City on May 4th. We are so proud of you. You are silly, sweet, kind, creative, helpful and so much fun to be around. We couldn't possibly love you more. We know year six will be your best yet. Love Mom, Dad, Holly and Monty. And Happy Birthday to Maya B. Of Pittsboro, North Carolina. It has been an absolute joy to watch you grow into the amazing person that you are. We love you to the moon and back. Love mom, dad and Sammy. Happy birthday to you all. You know, every time we sit down to record, we think about you tucked in, ready for a story, maybe holding a favorite stuffed toy or snuggled next to someone you love. Knowing we get to be part of your bedtime makes everything we do feel worthwhile. If sleept stories has become part of your family's routine thank you. And if you'd like to support what we do while enjoying ad free episodes and bonus stories, SleepType Premium is just two taps away. The link is in the show Notes. Now onto our story. Bernice has no homework but wants to read a book with Cookie that Ethan lent her when she gets home. Her mind is racing through all the things she'd like to do this summer. She sits and talks with Papa Bear while they have their snack and asks him how can she decide what to do when there are so many things to choose from. Bernice can't decide about summer again. See you later, Ethan. Bernice called as she walked up the steps to her small house. She opened the door, stepped inside and quickly closed it. She could smell yummy cookies and if that smell escaped, it might make all the neighbors tummies gurgle. Hi Papa and Cookie, I'm home and you know what that means? Bernice said as she sat down on the floor to take off her sneakers. What does that mean? Papa Bear said from the kitchen with his really deep voice. It means it's time for cookies and milk, Bernice replied. Bernice could hear Papa Bear chuckling in the kitchen. Well, you know where I am, Little Bear. And I did make more cookies today, but you better hurry. They look very tasty and I may not be able to resist eating them all. Save some for me. Bernice knew he would, but sometimes she wasn't 110% sure, and because she loved her papa's cookies so much, it made her try to get her sneakers off even faster. Except whenever this happened, her laces formed a knot so hard to untie that it took Bernice what felt like hours to loosen them. Then, without a sound, Cookie came padding around the corner and sat waiting for Bernice to get her sneakers off, though she did often find the smells from outside kind of interesting. Hi Cookie, I am just trying to get this lace untied. Do you realize just how lucky you are, Cookie? You basically grow with sneakers attached. Well, sort of. I mean, I do like these sneakers. They look nice and have paint and dirt and mud on them in all the right places. See this emoji? It's hard to tell, but Bobby painted that on during art class last week. He almost got in trouble with the teacher, but he didn't, so. So he was lucky, I guess. I like it a lot though. Cookie started washing her face like cats do. So how was your day today? Did you miss me? I missed you a lot even though it was a busy day. Isn't that Surprising. It's the end of the school year and we're still busy. I remember when I was just a kid it was all games and movies and craft stuff. Now my math teacher is just continuing on to next year's stuff, which is okay, I guess. I like math, but I know Ethan is a bit disappointed. He wants to read books. There, done. I finally got my sneakers off. I could give you a few pets if you like. I think giving you pets teaches me a lot about being patient and kind. And honestly, your fur is so soft and cuddly that it's a lot of fun to give you pets. But we are friends, right? You are my bestest friend. Cookie walked over and curled in between Bernice's legs and started to purr. Anyway, today was a good day, Cookie, but I have the same problem every summer. You know that it's almost summertime, right? And that means no school. And then I can do all kinds of fun things, especially ice cream things. Doing stuff that involves ice cream is always super fun. But Papa only orders vanilla ice cream lately. I think. Isn't that strange? There are like a hundred different flavors, but he says he loves vanilla best. Well, I just can't decide what to do this summer. I want to go biking with Mama and Papa, study art, go swimming, run every day, maybe take a science class, hang out with my friends. But still, some of them are going to camps, which I might too, but I'm not sure. I mean, there is just so much I want to experience and so little time. Cookie purred a little louder as Bernice rubbed under her chin, almost like she was agreeing with her. Mama says that everything will work out and I guess that is true. But to sit decisions certainly are hard. I guess I better go to the kitchen before Papa eats all the cookies. Do you want to read with me later? I got a new book from Ethan and it looks like it will be lots of fun. Cookie got up and stretched and let out a quiet meow which might have meant yes, your cookies do smell yummy, Papa, Bernice said as she walked into the kitchen with her backpack. What kind are they this time? They have like little candies all over them. They taste yummy too. Papa Bear said with a laugh. These are our regular chocolate chip, but I ran out of chocolate chips so I used these little candy covered chocolates instead. Why don't you wash your hands and I'll put a few on the table for us to share. Would you like some milk too? Papa Bear asked. Yes, please. After washing her hands, Bernice sat at the table and took a great big drink of milk, which created a milk stash on her lip. You were really thirsty, Papa Bear said as he blew on his hot tea. Yeah, I think so. It was a busy day, Papa, which is super surprising because it shouldn't be. It is supposed to be the time of year when we relax and Bobby and I and sometimes Ethan can do stuff we like to do in class. Well, you are getting older and sometimes that means more schoolwork. Why don't you tell me all about your day? It was a regular day, Papa. No tests and stuff. So in a way it wasn't a regular day. But we had a lot of work to do, which is kind of strange, I think, because usually at least other grades do, except for the super big kids slow down and watch movies or have free study periods and stuff. But not us, Papa. Our math and science teachers just kept going over new material, which is nice because I like science and math, but sometimes I think just reading books is okay too. I guess you have strict teachers, which is nice. Papa Bear said, still blowing on his tea. Yeah, I like my teachers. Except for that teacher who made us practice cursive writing. She took another bite of her cookie. So we learned new stuff today, but no homework. So I thought I might read a bit. But Papa, at lunchtime today, when we were sharing our lunch, one kid brought a candy apple but I thought it was too sweet. And another kid brought some fried rice which was still warm because he had it in some kind of warmer. It was super tasty. I think it had some kind of green bean in it. Super yummy. She took a sip of milk. Anyway, we were all talking about what we might do this summer because maybe we could get together and stuff. But Papa, there are so many things that I want to do and I just don't know how to choose. And every time I think I pick something, I remember something else I want to do. I think we talk about this just about every summer, Papa Bear replied. Yeah, but this year the list is even longer. I mean, I thought it would be nice to visit Japan. One of the kids in my class is from Japan and is going back to visit for a while. I would like to visit Japan. It sounds super fun. And they have really nice cookies too, right? Have you been to Japan, Papa? Bernice asked before taking a bite of her cookie. I have been to Japan and it is indeed very nice. But I don't think we can all go to Japan this summer. But hopefully someday. Hopefully. I also want to visit other places like jungles and savannas and the park with friends. I want to go to art class, science class, and swimming and practice running. I could go on and on, but I just don't know which ones to pick. And I don't think I can pick everything. Papa Bear took a bite of his cookie and a slow sip of his tea to wash it down. Little Bear, it's amazing to want to do so so many different things. And there is so much to experience and do. Bernice looked up from her cookie. Wanting to learn and explore and try new things means your mind is growing. Bernice nodded slowly. I do want to do everything, Papa. There are just so many interesting things. Papa Bear smiled. There are, but sometimes if we try to do everything all at once, or try to fit too many activities into a short period of time, we don't really have a chance to enjoy anything. What do you mean? Imagine this, he said. If we went on a bike ride together, you, Mama, and me, but the whole time you were thinking about swimming and art class and science camp and 10 other things. Would you really enjoy the bike ride? I guess. Maybe not. You might ride your bike, papa continued, but your mind would be somewhere else. And the wind in your hair and the sound of the tires on the road and the birds singing in the trees. You might miss all of that. Or maybe if you had too many things planned for one day, you wouldn't give yourself the time to enjoy any one of those things. I do like bike rides with you and Mama, she said quietly. I know you do, papa Bear replied. And sometimes choosing just a few things and enjoying them fully makes those things even more special. Bernice took another bite of her cookie. But what if I picked the wrong things? She asked. Papa Bear smiled softly. There are very few wrong choices when you are learning and growing, he said. Summer is not a race, Little Bear. It's more like a garden. A garden? Yes, papa said. You can't plant every seed at once. If you do, there is no room for anything to grow strong. But if you plant a few seeds and take care of them and give them time, they grow into something wonderful. I like our garden, Papa, she said. Especially when we grow delicious things like strawberries and stuff. Papa chuckled. Strawberries are an excellent reason to like gardens. And sometimes, he said as he sipped his tea, the best moments are the ones we don't plan at all. Like what, Papa? Like sitting in the backyard after dinner, papa said. Or reading a book in the shade. Or lying in the grass and watching clouds drift by. Or using your imagination to Invent a new robot. I could make a robot that Bobby and I could work on together, she said. And reading, papa added. You and Ethan could read together. Or maybe you could spend an afternoon drawing pictures. Or getting ice cream after a bike ride? She asked hopefully. Papa laughed softly. That sounds like a very wise summer plan. I think I understand, she said slowly. If I choose a few things that I really like, then I can enjoy them more and maybe leave time for surprises. But Papa, bernice said, frowning just a little, how do I choose? That's the hardest part. Papa nodded slowly. That is a very good question, Little Bear. Bernice waited, another cookie halfway to her mouth. When I have many choices, papa began, I ask myself three small questions. Bernice's eyes brightened. Three? Just three, papa said. Not like 100. Bernice giggled. First, papa said, holding up one finger, I ask what makes me feel excited when I just think about it. Not when I plan it or talk about it. Just when it pops into my head. Bernice thought for a moment. Bike rides, she said quickly. And ice cream after those go together. Papa smiled. I would say those count as one thing. Or maybe two, bernice said. Fair enough. Two things already. He lifted a second finger. Second, I ask what fits nicely into our days? Not every activity needs its own whole afternoon. Sometimes the best things happen between other things. Like reading on the porch while you make dinner, bernice said. Exactly like that. He raised a third finger. And third what can wait for another time? Bernice thought about this one longer. Japan, she finally said. Japan can definitely wait. And jungles also waiting. But not ice cream. Papa laughed. No, I think ice cream should not be kept waiting. I think I like those questions, she said. They don't make the list shorter. They just make it feel less like a pile. Papa Bear picked up his tea and took a slow sip. And sometimes, he said, after you've chosen a few things, leave some days with nothing on them at all. Bernice looked at him. Nothing. Nothing planned. See what happens. She turned this over. That's kind of scary. Or kind of wonderful, papa said. Depends on the day. Bernice finished the last bite of her cookie and brushed the crumbs from her fingers. Maybe I'll try that one nothing day just to see. Papa Bear smiled and stood up slowly, the chair creaking under him. I think that, he said, collecting his cup, sounds like an excellent plan. After reading her book with Cookie, who didn't seem all that interested but stayed with her anyway, Bernice had a delicious dinner. And after playing a few games with Mama and Papa, she started her bedtime routine. She took a soapy bubble bath with some fancy bubbles, brushed her teeth and all that important stuff, did some stretches, and laid out her favorite clothes for the morning. Finally, she hopped into bed, arranged Twiggle, Wolfie, and Madeline just right, pulled the blanket up to her chin, and called out, it's that time, Papa. And what time is that? Little Bear? Replied her Papa. Time for me to go to sleep. I am super tired. Are you sure you don't want to stay up all night? Her papa asked. I am sure, Papa. My brain needs time to process all the knowledge I am feeding it, Bernice said after thinking about it for a moment. Papa Bear chuckled softly as he made his way up the stairs to her bedroom. Did you do all the things you need to do before bed? Papa Bear asked. I think so. I had a soapy bath, I put on my new summer pajamas, I brushed my teeth and I even did some stretches. I Are you comfy? Yes, Papa. How about Twigga, Wolfy, and Madeline? Are they ready for sleep too? They said they are. Cookie will likely come up later after she has a snack with Mama. Papa Bear walked over and gently tucked the blanket around Bernice, making sure her stuffed friends were snug as well. Bernice looked up at him and smiled. Papa? Yes, Little Bear? Thank you for helping me today, Bernice said softly. I think I know how to choose now. Papa Bear tilted his head slightly. Oh, how will you do that? Bernice yawned. I will pick a few things that make me excited and save some things for later, she said sleepily. And maybe leave time for imagination days too. Papa Bear smiled warmly. That sounds like a very wise summer plan. Bernice reached out and wrapped her arms around Papa Bear in a sleepy hug. I love you, Papa. I love you too, Little Bear. Papa Bear gave her a kiss on the forehead, turned down the lamp, put on her stories, and quietly stepped toward the door. Before he left her room. Bernice was already asleep. And that is the end of our story. Good night. Sleep tight.