By Bill Conley
Moral of the Story:
Cleaning up after yourself is a simple way to show responsibility and care for
the people around you. When you leave dishes or messes behind, someone else has
to do the work you chose not to do. Putting your plate in the sink or
dishwasher shows that you understand how to take care of your things and be
part of a team. Responsibility isn’t just about big jobs—it’s about the small,
thoughtful actions that make a big difference at home.
In the tall oak trees of Nutberry Grove
lived a playful young squirrel named Sammy.
Sammy was fast.
Sammy was fun.
And Sammy was messy.
Whenever he finished eating, crumbs,
shells, and juice cups would be left behind.
“Sammy,” his mom would say, “please
put your dish in the sink.”
“Later!” Sammy would call as he
dashed out the door.
“Sammy,” his dad would say, “don’t
leave your nut shells on the table.”
“I forgot!” Sammy would shrug,
already halfway up a tree.
But his “later” and “I forgot”
turned into piles of dirty dishes, sticky spoons, and scattered messes.
His parents were always cleaning up after him, and so were his siblings.
One evening, after dinner, Sammy
left his plate and cup on the table and ran outside to play hide-and-seek with
his friends.
While he played, his little sister
Squeaky tried to clear the table. She was small, and as she pulled Sammy’s dish
toward the sink—
CRASH!
The plate slipped and broke on the floor.
Everyone rushed in.
“Oh no!” cried Squeaky. “I was just
trying to help!”
Sammy looked at the broken plate,
then at his teary-eyed sister.
“That was my mess,” he said quietly.
His mom nodded. “Exactly. And when
you don’t clean up after yourself, someone else has to deal with it—and
sometimes, they get hurt.”
Sammy felt awful. It wasn’t just
about mess—it was about caring.
That night, he lay in bed thinking.
What if I tried to be more
responsible? Would it really help that much?
The next morning, Sammy decided to
try something different.
After breakfast, he picked up his
bowl and spoon and carefully placed them in the sink.
His mom raised her eyebrows. “Well,
that’s a nice surprise!”
“I’m cleaning up after myself,” he
said proudly.
At lunch, he wiped up his crumbs and
carried his plate straight to the dishwasher.
His dad gave him a thumbs-up.
That evening, after dinner, Sammy
cleared not just his own plate—but helped Squeaky with hers too.
She smiled and gave him a hug.
“Thanks, Sammy!”
The more Sammy helped, the more
peaceful the house became. No more mess mountains. No more grumbles from Mom
and Dad.
And Sammy? He felt proud. He was
part of the solution, not the problem.
By the end of the week, Sammy was a
new squirrel. He even reminded his friends during snack time in the treehouse:
“Don’t forget to clean up! Your
mom’s not your maid!”
His friends laughed—but they
listened.
That weekend, his parents made a
“Helper of the Week” chart.
Guess whose name was on top?
Sammy.
And he didn’t need a prize or
reward—because now he knew:
Cleaning up after yourself isn’t a
chore—it’s a way to show respect, take responsibility, and make your home a
happier place.
Moral Poem to End the Story:
Don’t leave dishes for someone to find,
Clean up with care, be thoughtful and kind.
A little effort goes a long way—
To brighten your home and someone’s day!
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