By Bill Conley
Moral of the Story:
Your body is a gift, and how you treat it matters.
When you brush, sleep, eat healthy, and wash up, your body says, “Thank you!”
The better you care for yourself, the better you’ll feel—inside and out.
Because a healthy body is a happy body.
There once was a little bear named Benny
who had one BIG problem.
He didn’t like taking care of
himself.
He never wanted to brush his teeth.
He always forgot to wash his hands.
He stayed up way too late.
And he loved eating marshmallows for breakfast.
Every time his mom said, “Benny,
it’s time to brush!”
He would grumble, “But I’m just going to eat again anyway!”
One morning, Benny woke up and felt…
yucky.
His mouth was sticky. His belly
hurt. His fur was itchy. And he had little dark circles under his eyes.
“Ugh,” he said, dragging his paws.
“What’s wrong with me?”
His mother gave him a hug.
“Sweetheart,” she said, “your body is trying to talk to you.”
Benny tilted his fuzzy head.
“Talk to me? About what?”
His mom smiled.
“When you don’t take care of your body, it starts to wear out. Just like a toy
with no batteries.”
That day, Benny had a long think.
He imagined his body as a team
working just for him.
His teeth? Little knights, guarding
the castle of his mouth.
His tummy? A food factory that likes fruits, veggies, and clean snacks.
His hands? Helpers who needed washing before meals and after play.
And his brain? A busy beaver that could only work well with sleep.
“I didn’t know I had so many
workers!” Benny said.
“They all count on me!”
So, he made a promise.
“To take care of my team, I need to take care of me.”
That night, Benny brushed his teeth
slowly—front, back, up, and down.
He looked in the mirror and saw his knightly teeth sparkle.
“Much better,” he said.
At dinner, instead of marshmallows,
Benny chose carrots and apples.
“Crunchy!” he smiled.
He even drank water instead of soda.
His tummy rumbled in delight.
“Thanks for the real food!” he imagined it saying.
Before bed, Benny took a warm bath.
He scrubbed behind his ears, under his arms, and between his toes.
He dried off, put on clean pajamas,
and smiled in the mirror.
“Lookin’ good, Benny,” he said to himself.
Then, for the first time in a long
time, he went to bed early.
The next morning, Benny woke up
feeling amazing.
His head was clear.
His belly was calm.
His teeth felt fresh.
His fur was soft.
He ran into the kitchen and shouted,
“Mama! My body feels AWESOME!”
She grinned.
“I’m so proud of you. You took care of your body—and it’s taking care of you.”
From that day on, Benny became the
cleanest, healthiest bear in the forest.
He brushed his teeth every morning
and night.
He washed his hands before meals and after playing outside.
He picked healthy foods (okay, mostly healthy), and he got plenty of
sleep.
And every time he took care of
himself, he imagined his team of helpers cheering.
“Way to go, Benny!”
“Thanks for washing us!”
“We love sleep!”
🛁 A Poem to End the Tale 🛏️
Brush your teeth to keep them
strong,
Wash your hands all day long.
Eat your veggies, skip the junk,
Or your tummy might go clunk!
Take a bath and sleep at night,
You'll wake up feeling just right.
When you care for every part—
You show your body a healthy heart.
Thought-Provoking
Questions for Kids:
1.
What’s one thing you can do
today to take better care of your body?
2.
What healthy food makes your body
say “Thank you!”?
3.
Can you imagine your body as a
team—what would your teeth, tummy, or brain say?
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