Take Care of Your Things, They’ll Take Care of You
By Bill Conley
Moral of the Story:
Everything you own deserves a little love and care.
When you respect your things—your toys, your shoes, your books—they last longer
and work better.
Taking care of your stuff shows responsibility, gratitude, and pride.
Because when you take care of your things… they really do take care of you.
There once was a little raccoon
named Riley who had a lot of stuff.
Toys, games, books, a backpack, art
supplies, shoes with lights, a scooter, and even a red wagon named Ruby.
But Riley had one teeny-tiny
problem.
He was messy.
Really messy.
Super duper, jungle-explosion messy.
His room looked like a storm had hit it.
Markers without caps. Toys are buried under the laundry. Books with bent covers.
Crayons in the sock drawer.
“Riley!” his dad called.
“You left your scooter out in the rain again!”
Riley shrugged.
“It’ll dry.”
Later that day…
“Riley! Your favorite book has jelly
all over it!”
Riley sighed.
“Oops. I was hungry.”
Then came the final straw.
Riley tugged on the handle of Ruby
the Red Wagon, and the wheel fell off.
“Whaaaaat?” Riley shouted. “Why’d it
break?”
His mom knelt beside him.
“Because, sweetheart, even wagons need a little care.”
Riley crossed his arms.
“I don’t mean to ruin stuff.”
His mom smiled.
“I know. But if you don’t take care of the things you love, they stop working
the way they should.”
Riley looked around.
His broken wagon. His soggy scooter. His sticky book. His scattered toys.
“Wow,” he whispered. “My stuff
looks… sad.”
His mom ruffled his fur.
“Let’s give your things a second chance.”
That afternoon, Riley went to work.
He wiped jelly off his books, page by
page.
He matched marker caps with their colors.
He organized his crayons into a rainbow.
He carefully cleaned his scooter, dried the wheels, and tucked it safely in the
garage.
Even Ruby got a tune-up, with her
wheel screwed back on tight and her handle polished.
The next morning, something amazing
happened.
His scooter rolled like new.
His markers worked perfectly.
His wagon? Smooth as butter.
And best of all, his toys didn’t get
lost anymore.
His room felt cozy.
He could find things!
Riley smiled so big, he almost
burst.
From that day on, Riley became the
most responsible raccoon in the neighborhood.
He zipped his backpack every day.
He stacked his books on the shelf.
He wiped mud off his shoes.
And he never left Ruby out in the rain again.
Whenever his friends visited and
said, “Whoa! Your stuff is awesome!”
Riley beamed.
“Yep. I take care of it—and it takes
care of me.”
A
Poem to End the Tale 🎒
Your toys and books, your shoes and
games,
Aren’t just things—they have names!
Treat them well, put them away,
They’ll stick around another day.
If you care for what you use,
You won’t lose socks or scuff your shoes.
A tidy room and a polished toy,
It can bring you peace and spark your joy.
Thought-Provoking
Questions:
1.
What’s one item you love that you
can take better care of today?
2.
How do you feel when your room is
neat and your things are clean?
3.
Can you think of a time when
something broke because it wasn’t cared for?
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