Short stories to read before bed

10 Bedtime Stories for Adults to Help You Get Some Serious Shut Eye

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I’ve never been blessed with the ability to fall asleep fast. I have to toss and turn and click around on my phone for an hour at least before I can even attempt to get some shut eye. It drives me up the wall sometimes when I have an early morning or a big meeting the next day and all I can do is lie there.

Bedtime stories as a kid always helped me shorten that empty time between when I got in bed and when I actually fell asleep. But, as I’ve moved into adulthood, the fairytales and fables have been replaced with social media and mindless scrolling. I know, I know, this so does not help my inability to sleep. It’s hard to turn it off sometimes and sit in silence instead.

Which got me wondering, are there bedtime stories for adults that could take the place of those from my childhood? There are apps, I know, that play white noise or block notification or limit your screen time. But I wanted that feeling of being a kid and reading a nice, gentle story before bed.

If you’re in the same boat I am, seeking that same feeling but a little more grown up, try one of these bedtime short stories for adults to see if you can get some sleep.

“Whitefoot” by Wendell Berry

“Whitefoot” focuses on the life of a mouse much in a similar vein of the many fables your parents read you as a kid. Whitefoot the mouse encounters some tribulations, obstacles from the large world around her, but (spoiler alert) she gets out unscathed, ready to keep at it. It’s long, gentle, and beautiful. You’ll have images of little Whitefoot’s journey with you as you fall asleep.

“Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway

I’m sure many of you have read “Hills Like White Elephants” at some point in your school career. Masked in metaphor and implications, the surface level of the story is simply a conversation between a couple while waiting for their train. Sure, there’s subtext if you want to dig into it. But, if you turn off your thinking brain and read the straightforward prose, you’ll be drifting off in no time.

“Ghosts and Empties” by Lauren Groff

Some of you may share a fondness for walking when you can’t sleep, much like the main character in “Ghosts and Empties.” She walks off her anger, her pent up feelings, through her neighborhood and the ones surrounding it. She ponders her neighbors, the people she sees, thinks about her home and her boys and her husband. If walking soothes you, this story will too.

“With the Beatles” by Haruki Murakami

“With the Beatles” traces a man’s discovery of The Beatles in his young adulthood through his life alongside his dating history. It has the feeling of remembering the first time you found your favorite band and how that love develops through your life, major events coinciding with new releases. You know that feeling when you play a song and remember where you were in life when you were obsessed with it? This story feels like that: nostalgic and comforting.

“The Book of Martha” by Octavia Butler

“The Book of Martha” is, at it’s core, about how to make a perfect world. Or, I guess, how difficult that is. God grants Martha the power to help humanity. But that proves much harder than she thought. In a careful exploration of belief, perfection, and humanity, “The Book of Martha” is sure to catch your attention without keeping you up too late. Plus, it’ll give you something to think through when you close your eyes, pushing those pesky daily worries out the window.

“Cousin Tribulation’s Story” by Louisa May Alcott

This short story set on New Year’s Day follows a family who sacrifice their meal to help their neighbors in need. It’s heartwarming and sure to restore your faith in humanity before you go to sleep. Plus, it’s only 800 words! You won’t be up late into the night to find out what happens, and you’re sure to have a smile on your face when you do.

“Bruce and the Spider” by James Baldwin

This quick, fable-like story follows a king as he watches a spider. The spider keeps failing to connect her web, and the king, also having failed in battle, sympathizes with her. But she keeps trying, and so he decides to take her cues and try again himself. It’s sure to inspire you in its simplicity and put you to sleep with it too.

“Instructions” by Neil Gaiman

This is more of a poem, and intended for a younger audience perhaps, but the rhythm is sure to lull you no matter your age. As the title implies, “Instructions” is a list of, well, instructions on how to leave home, how to interact with the world, and how to come back again. You’ll meet an imp, an old woman, a ferryman, an eagle, and ghosts in time. You’ll pick strawberries and return favors and grow up in your time away. This is one of those bedtime stories for adults and children alike.

“Kew Gardens” by Virginia Woolf

This short stories centers around the Kew Gardens in London on a summer day. Various pairs of people walk past the flowers, each lost in their own thoughts. A young couple, a pair of men, and an elderly couple meander through the narrative. A snail makes an appearance as it climbs a flower. The story is gentle and slow, making it perfect to help you drift off tonight.

“A Telephone Call” by Dorothy Parker

“A Telephone Call” is a sweet, light-hearted story of a woman waiting by the phone. That’s it. Much the same way we wait for that text or Snapchat now, the main character sits beside the telephone waiting for a man to call. The internal monologue and lack of much else won’t raise the blood pressure or keep you too engaged. You’ll sleep, maybe thinking of your own telephone call.

I hope these bedtime stories for adults helped you get some shut eye. If you’re still looking for something low-key or soothing, try these comforting books for hard times or these comforting comics, if those are more your speed. You can also be read to sleep with these soothing audiobooks to fall asleep to.

Top 10 Bedtime Stories For Kids To Read

Reading Bedtime Stories For Kids is an important element in the child’s success. As Philip Pullman rightly put, “After nourishment, shelter, and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” Telling stories not only develops reading skills, quality writing, construction of sentences, but also helps in increasing their imagination and creativity, and communication skills.

This is the time when you and your child can spend some quality time out of your busy schedule. It also helps in creating a unique bond between the two of you. Bedtimeshortstories.com has put together some of the most amazing Bedtime Stories For Kids that your kids will surely like. Happy Reading!

1. Goldilocks And The Three Bears

This is a story about a girl who went to the forest and accidentally forgot her way back home. She suddenly saw a cottage and gently knocked on the door. But nobody was inside. As she entered, she saw three bowls of porridge, big, medium, and small. The cottage belonged to the bears. After such a tiring journey, she was very hungry and ate the smallest bowl of porridge.

Then, she saw three chairs, big, medium, and small. Goldilocks perfectly fit on the smaller one but the chair broke at once. She then went upstairs and saw three beds, big, medium, and small. She chose the small one and fell asleep. In a couple of hours, the bears came back. They saw their porridge was all scattered and the baby bear’s bowl was empty. Then, they saw the broken chair of the baby bear. They got very angry. As they went upstairs, they saw a girl in deep slumber.

Suddenly, she woke up and saw three bears, the frightened girl got up from the bed and ran as fast as she could. She ran until she reached back home safe and sound. Read the full story here.

Goldilocks and three bears

2. The Ugly Duckling

This is the story of the ugly duckling who was ignored by everyone. Once, there lived a duck in a pond who had laid some eggs. Soon, the eggs cracked and three beautiful ducklings came into the world. The last egg was big. When it cracked, she saw an ugly, grey duckling. He was hated by everyone. His brothers and sisters used to hate him. He became so sad that he ran away from his home. On his way, he met an old woman. She cuddled him but as she saw him closely, she screamed and told him to go away. Once again, he became sad. He sobbed day and night all alone. He was sad but he never loses hope.

Then, one day, he saw a pond. He became very happy and swam to his satisfaction. Since the weather had changed and it was cold, the poor duckling was frozen in the pond. A kind farmer took him to his home and took good care of her. Soon, the duckling regained his strength and the farmer left him in the pond. There, he saw many beautiful swans. He bowed his head in shame. Suddenly, he saw his own reflection. He had grown into a beautiful swan. Those beautiful swans were his brothers and sisters. Now, he was the most beautiful swan and all the swans praised him for his immense beauty. Read the full story here.

bedtime stories for kids

3. The Pied Piper Of Hamelin

This is a story about a town, Hamelin which used to have many rats. All the townspeople were worried and wanted to get rid of the problem. Even the cats couldn’t do anything. Soon, a meeting was called out and it was decided that whosoever catches the mice would get ten sacks of gold coins as a reward. One day, a stranger passed by and promised them to do so. He took out his pipe and started to play a wonderful tune. All the mice, at once came out of their holes and the stranger took them near the river. One by one, they fell into the river and drowned. When he returned for his reward, the townspeople disagree with what they promised. The poor stranger decided to teach them a lesson.

Immediately, he started to play his pipe. But this time, all the kids followed him. No kid was left in the town. When the townspeople came to know, they promised him to give twenty sacks of gold. The stranger let the children go. The town of Hamelin had learned never to be ungrateful and greedy. Read the full story here.

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4. The Snow Queen

This is the story of the Snow Queen who made a strange mirror. All the good things became ugly and terrible. One day, as she was taking it to heaven, it fell on the Earth. It was broken into many pieces. The pieces went into many people’s eyes and hearts. In a village, there lived two best friends, Kai and Gerda. Unfortunately, it went into Kai’s eyes and heart. He was now very rude to Gerda. This made Gerda so sad that she always remained upset.

One day, Gerda saw that Kai was going with a lady who had a white face and icy hair. With lots of hurdles on her way, she finally reached the Snow Queen’s castle. There, she saw Kai frozen. He was frozen and he turned blue. Gerda told all the happy moments they spent together but nothing changed. Kai was still frozen. When she could do nothing, she began to cry. Suddenly, her tears fell on his chest and penetrated his heart. Kai hugged Gerda. When they hugged, a bright light appeared which made the ice melt. This made the Snow Queen cry and she faded away into the air.

After overcoming the challenges, the two friends returned home and lived happily ever after. This story signifies a good friendship that was overpowered by the devil’s magic and melted the eternal ice. Read the full story here.

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5. The Little Match Girl

This is the story of a poor little girl who lived with her father. Her father used to send her to the streets to sell the matchsticks. It was Christmas Eve and it was terribly cold out there. The Match Girl was noticed by no one and so she couldn’t sell the matches that day. She was afraid that if she would go home, her father would beat her. She used to miss her mother and grandmother who were now in Heaven.

It was so cold that she thought of burning a match to give her some warmth. Finally, she dared to lit a match and made herself warm. Soon, the match turned into a fireplace and she made herself warm. But it didn’t last for long. Without thinking, she lit the second match. This time, the wall turned into a veil and she could see a dining room with lots of delicious foods. But in a couple of seconds, it vanished. When she lit the third match, a beautiful Christmas Tree appeared. It had many beautiful candles. She wanted to hold the candles. But as she reached, the candles flew to the sky and turned into stars. Next, when she lit the match, she saw her grandmother whom she loved the most. One by one, she struck the whole bundle of matches as she didn’t want her grandmother to go away.

The next day, it was Christmas. The match girl was sitting at the corner with red cheeks and a smiling face. The people there thought she was trying to keep herself warm last night. But no one knew the magic moments she spent last night. Read the full story here.

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6. King Midas And His Golden Touch

This is the story about a King named Midas who had a large Kingdom but he was unhappy. He wanted to have more and more gold as he was very greedy. One day, he asked a holy man to grant his wish that whatever he touched must turn into gold. The holy man agreed. The King was very happy. Whatever he touched was turned into gold. His throne, chairs, table, and even his food. Now, he could not eat or drink anything.

One day, his daughter came to him and when he put his arms around her, her daughter, too, turned into gold. King Midas was shocked. He wanted her daughter back. He cried out for help. Suddenly, the holy man appeared and gave him a bottle of water and told him to sprinkle the water on all the things that have turned into gold. When he sprinkled the water, immediately everything came in its original form. King Midas learned that “Gold can’t buy you happiness!” Read the full story here.

King Midas and the golden touch Image Source @slideshare.net

7. Jack And The Beanstalk

This is a story of a poor boy named Jack who decided to sell his cow for some money. On his way, he met a traveler who wanted to buy his cows for some magic beans. Jack was curious and he agreed. When he went home empty-handed, his mother shouted at him. However, he sowed the magic beans. When he woke up, he saw the world’s biggest beanstalk. Jack was excited and wanted to see what was there on top of it. He began to climb it and reached a strange land with a large castle.

While entering, he saw a huge giant sleeping in the castle. Slowly, he started to explore the castle and found lots of treasure inside it. He decided to take some treasure along with him so that his mother and he would no longer be poor. Just when he was about to leave, the giant woke up and chased the poor Jack. Jack was too fast for him and quickly slipped down from the beanstalk. He then cut the beanstalk and the giant fell down and died. Jack and his mother lived happily ever after. Read the full story here.

bedtime stories for boys Image Source @www.ironacton.info

8. The Selfish Giant

This is a story about a giant who never let the children in his garden. The giant was not in his garden for seven years. Every day, children would go and play in his garden. One day, he came back. Seeing so many children on his premises, he got angry and started building walls. On the wall, he put a note saying, “No Children!” This made the children upset. Soon, it was time for spring. All around, the flowers bloomed and there was greenery. But, in the garden of giant, there was no spring. It was still winter there. The giant waited and waited but there were no signs of springs.

Then, one day, while he was sleeping, he heard the sound of a bird. As he peeped through the window, he saw that the spring had finally arrived. Also, he saw a big hole that the children had made. Upon seeing him, all the children ran away. Only one was left inside the garden. He was trying to climb the tree. The giant helped him climb the tree. At that moment, the giant took out the hammer and banged the wall. Since that day, the children and the giant used to play together.

But, every day, the giant would ask about that little boy whom he helped that day. Unfortunately, nobody knew about him. Several years passed, and the giant grew old. One day, as he was sitting near the same tree, he saw spring on one part of his garden when it was winter. There was the same child whom he helped that day. The child came to take the giant with him to heaven. That day when the children came to play, they saw the giant lying in the flower bed with a big smile. Read the full story here.

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9. Puss In Boots

This is the story of three brothers who decided to throw out their youngest brother. The youngest brother took the cat along with him. They had nothing. The cat asked for his master’s boot and in return, caught a rabbit for his master. They took the rabbit and gifted it to King. Later, the King and his daughter went to the picnic. There, the cat told his master to jump into the stream. Then he asked the King for new clothes for his master. The cat then took them all to the Marquis castle. The cat went into the golden wheat fields which belonged to Scary Ogre.

Now, the cat told the farmer if he would say the fields belonged to Marquis of Carabas, he would help him get rid of Scary Ogre. The farmer did as the cat said. Later, in the castle of Scary Ogre, the cat was caught. To make the cat scared, Scary Ogre turned into a huge lion. The cat challenged him to turn into a little creature. He accepted the dare and turned into a mouse. Within seconds, the cat ate him and made his master the King of that Kingdom. Later, the Marquis and the princess get married. The cat becomes the Knight of Carabas. And they all lived happily ever after. Read the full story here.

classic bedtime stories for kids Image Source @www.dreamtime.com

10. The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz Summary

This is a story of a girl named Dorothy who lived with her Uncle, Aunt, and a pet dog named Toto in Kansas city. One day, a scary cyclone lifted their house up and blew it away. After some time, it fell with a thud! Unfortunately, her house fell on a bad witch of East. The people of munchkins rejoiced in happiness. Suddenly, a good witch appeared and asked her for a wish. Dorothy wanted to go back. The good witch gave her red slippers to wear and told her to follow the yellow brick road and meet the Wizard of Oz.

On her way, she met a scarecrow who wanted a brain, a tin woodcutter who wanted a heart, and a lion who wanted courage. She took three of them to the Wizard of Oz to ask for the way back home for Dorothy, brain for the scarecrow, a heart for the tin woodcutter, and courage for the lion. Finally, they reached Emerald City where they met a wizard. When Dorothy told him everything, the wizard told them that he would grant their wish if they would free them from the evil witch of West, too. All of them agreed.

The witch came to know about this and attacked them. Firstly, she sent a pack of scariest wolves but the woodcutter hacked them all till they ran away. Next, many crows came to peck on them but in a couple of seconds, the scarecrow scared them all. Next, the witch sent the flying monkeys who took them to the witch’s castle. Dorothy observed her carefully and threw a bucket full of water at the witch. Immediately, she started melting. After that, all of her slaves became free. Dorothy and her friends went back to Emerald City. The wizard appreciated them and granted them their wish. It was time to say goodbye. Dorothy picked up Toto and clicked her together thrice and told her slippers to take her home. Read the full story here.

classic bedtime stories for kids Image Source @www. bedtimeshortstories.com

If you loved this collection of Bedtime Stories For Kids, don’t forget to share it with your friends. Thanks for reading!

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cozy stories for the night • Articles on the website of the publishing house BOMBOR

Articles
January 13, 2021

Sleepy tales for adults: three stories to help you fall asleep.

More interesting things below

This story began when Katherine Nicolai, a 17-year yoga teacher from Michigan, noticed that daily bedtime stories helped her cope with her insomnia. Katherine created the Nothing Much Happens podcast with bedtime stories for herself and her friends. And hit the "bull's eye": the podcast became incredibly successful. Listeners from all over the world wrote thanks for the fact that for the first time in many years they slept through the night, without sleeping pills and nightmares.

Katherine's years of experience in yoga and meditation helps her seamlessly blend storytelling with brain training techniques. She knows how to relax the body, how to help the brain build new sleep habits, and how to make being awake as pleasant and serene as sleeping.

We have selected for you 3 cozy stories from Katherine Nikolay's book "Nothing Special Happens" that will help you sleep soundly and, most importantly, get enough sleep.

The instructions are simple: get as comfortable as possible in bed. You will go to the usual friendly place with a cute coffee shop and a small library where the seasons change, and at the local market you can slowly choose spicy herbs and fragrant pears for a birthday cake.

Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth. And repeat. Inhale and exhale. Okay, let's start

The first story. Blizzard

The day before we were warned that it would snow all night and all the next day. They said they'd sweep up driveways and lanes, fields and intersections, and that it's best to stay safe at home. We agreed. The whole area and the whole town. Everyone supported this decision. Today we got hit by a snow storm.

I lay in bed in the dead silence of the early morning, thinking of the snow that had covered the ground like a thick blanket, lying on bare tree branches, on the roof above my head, and on everything else you could imagine.

I still didn't move after waking up, I just felt how my hands relaxed and warmed under the covers, and I thought about how good it is today to be a snowy day, and how wonderful it is to know this from last night. I slept soundly and woke up without remembering dreams, feeling that today everything would start from scratch. She slipped her feet into the slippers by the bed, pulled on a long thick sweater, and went to the window. She slowly pushed back the curtain and enjoyed a small spark of anticipation in her stomach as she looked at the snow-covered ground.

There used to be a lot of snow too. I have seen this a thousand times, reliving the same moment since childhood, how in the morning after a heavy snowfall I stand in my pajamas, pressing my nose against the cold window pane, but to this day it causes me admiration.

The morning light was faint and cast long shadows on the drifts, catching still-falling flakes in its smooth flight, and showing the crisp, untouched surface of the snow that covered the ground outside my old farmhouse. I lingered there for a moment, just watching the falling snow, shielding myself from the cold outside with my hands. Enjoyed a gift from mother nature.

As a child, snowy days were associated with excitement and running around with cups of chocolate to the warm kitchen and back. For adults, such days bring relief. You are forced to relax, no one expects anything from you.

In a hectic world that sometimes moves too fast, this respite is great medicine. I stocked up on everything I needed the night before: a pound of fresh coffee beans, a long loaf of bread for sandwiches and toast, a bag of muffins and muffins, a bag of winter oranges and grapefruit.

In the fridge was a jug of fresh juice and a huge pile of green vegetables, and in the pantry were neat rows of homemade canned tomatoes and pickles, jars of beans, bags of rice, bags of crackers and pasta. I looked out the kitchen window and told the snow, "Keep falling, I've got enough for a few weeks."

I started making coffee, rummaged through the cupcakes, broke off the corner of one and ate it. “If you are going to do this,” I thought, “then you have to do everything right,” and pulled out a waffle iron from the cupboard. After all, that was part of enjoying the snowy day.

There is finally time to do things that you normally don't, and there's no reason to avoid them. I poured a cup of coffee, took the right ingredients from the shelves and began to mix and beat them, heating the waffle iron. She settled down at the kitchen table with her favorite plate, napkin and fork. I had a flashback of what my aunt did when we were little. She had a special plate in her closet, painted gold in an old fashioned way and didn't match anything else. And, if you did well in an exam, or you had a birthday, or a bad day and you just needed to feel special and cared for, your aunt put her in your place.

When you sat down, you stood a little taller and felt her warm hand on your shoulder. And dinner turned into a delight.

This memory kept me warm as I poured batter into a hot waffle iron. It hissed, filling the kitchen with aroma, and I smiled. With pancakes and waffles, the rule of three always applies. Don't overcook the first, burn the second, and the third will be perfect.

When the plate was full, I sat with a cup of fresh coffee and a warm jug of maple syrup, enjoying my breakfast, watching the snow fall. I peeled the orange and ate the slices slowly between sips, setting the rind aside, thinking I'd add it later to a simmering pot with cinnamon sticks, vanilla and a couple of cloves. Let it simmer all day to fill the house with a sweet aroma and soften the dry air with steam. I rinsed my plate, tidied up the kitchen and began to walk from window to window, looking out into the street.

In the evening I brought firewood and put it in the fireplace: now it was ready to give warmth. She lit a long match and held it up to the paper and kindling, watching it burn. I added a few crumpled newspapers to the fire and squatted by the fire for a couple of minutes until my face and fingers warmed up.

Now the wind was blowing and I watched small swirling spirals of snow appear and disappear in the air. Maybe later I'll pack up and go for a long walk through the fields and woods, and then reward myself with a cup of something hot; but now I was not going to leave my cozy place. I imagined laying out a puzzle on the table and thinking about it while a movie was playing in the background, or reading for hours, or lying in a hot bath until the skin on my fingers wrinkled.

But first, having had my fill after breakfast and warming up by the fireplace, I stretched out on the sofa, covered my legs with a warm blanket, and felt that it would be best to close my eyes, listen to the crackling of logs, and forget myself in a long winter sleep.

Sweet dreams.

Second story. Night outside with a dog

I heard the soft rustle of dog paws when my pet stopped by the bed. My ears were already programmed for it. I heard him sigh at night or toss and turn in bed. And when he got up and quietly stood next to me, I heard it too. He is already an old dog with a gray muzzle, and his movements are slow and careful.

Our walks got a little shorter, but today he saw a squirrel running along the pavement and suddenly found some youthful canine energy in his limbs. He pulled me along, following the path. Fortunately, the squirrel was not caught, but he enjoyed the chase. He barked as she ran up the tree and teased him with the language of little animals who know how fast they are. I stroked his head and told him that he tried his best. Shouldn't we go to the park? I reached out to put my hand on it and lowered my feet to the floor, sleepy but understanding.

As he got older, he sometimes had to leave the house in the middle of the night. I didn't mind at all, wrapped myself in a dressing gown, slipped my feet into my slippers, and we went down the stairs to the backyard. Most of the time, I just let it out and came back a few minutes later, but as I opened the door this time, I felt something in the smell of the air pull me outside. It was pitch dark, deep night, about three o'clock. There came those weeks when the weather tossed between autumn and winter.

The cold air opened my eyes and I lifted them up to see a clear sky lit by stars and a moon that was barely more than half visible. Growing moon, I thought. After the dog returned to me, we stood very still and just listened. Summer nights are filled with the buzzing of beetles, the croaking of frogs, and some unreasonable buzzing that comes from nowhere and is simply present in the air. Maybe it's the fecundity of growing, swaying plants, or just the trace of life left after a day in the sun, but it certainly sounds loud.

There is a special sound that can only be heard in the middle of the night just before winter, a shocking silence. Not a single car passed by, no one was visible except us, and only the faint rustle of a very light wind stirred in the bare branches high above us. The earth was asleep, its creatures curled up in their burrows, preparing for the new season. The bulbs were deep under mulch and dirt, only dreaming now of the vibrant pinks, purples and yellows they would turn into in spring. We stood still for a while, and I let the cold air tingle my fingers and move up my neck, knowing that I would soon be back in a warm bed.

I took a few very deep breaths, and under the spicy scent of dry leaves, something clean and clear appeared in the air. I thought it might be snow. Tomorrow these clear skies may be thick with clouds. And if we get up again in the middle of the night, which we most likely will, we will be standing under the first falling flakes.

I leaned over and slowly kissed my old man on the top of his head, and then we turned and walked back into the house. He stopped to drink water. I drank too and slowly walked up the stairs back to the bedroom. He turned a few times and sat down on the large soft cushion. I covered the dog with a blanket and tucked it in from all sides. In a few seconds he will be asleep. We should all learn this from dogs: they can go from awake to deep sleep instantly and wake up just as easily.

I took off my bathrobe and slippers and pulled back the heavy blanket on the bed, slipped onto the sheets and straightened the covers. I felt the cold gradually leave my body until the tips of my toes were warm again. I thought about the change of season, the gentle breeze outside, and how grateful I was that the dog had taken me along. It's the magic that our friends give us: they take us to places we wouldn't go on our own and show us things we would otherwise miss.

I sighed slowly, rolled over on my side, pulling the blanket over my shoulders, and felt myself sinking into sleep, drawing part of today into my daydreams, falling asleep. The squirrel swept its tail high up in the tree. The leash was taut because the dog suddenly wanted to run. Growing Moon and sleeping Earth. Probability of first snow.

Yes, I'll probably wake up again tomorrow night, and the day after tomorrow, and so on, but it made me happy.

Sweet Dreams.

The third story. Winter day outside the window

From the window I watched what was probably the last big snowfall of this winter.

Snow lay in even layers on the lawns and rooftops of our block. I knew we all wanted spring now, but we could be coaxed into spending another day admiring the quiet charm of falling flakes, squeezing snowballs with gloves and making snowmen, sledding down the hillside in the park.

I didn't know if I wanted to go sledding, but I was ready to watch it from the cozy warmth of the living room, warming my feet with thick socks to the whistle of the kettle boiling in the kitchen. Watch how a small flock of neighboring children, wrapped from head to toe, dragged sleds and ice-boats on thin ropes. Even in boots and insulated thick trousers, they somehow skipped forward and called their friends and younger sisters to speed up their pace. The sledding hill was waiting for them.

As a child, there was one in the neighborhood, and I remembered with what delight we rushed from it, crammed into the sleigh two or three of us, holding on to their worn-out reins and each other, and shouted, picking up speed. We rolled over or crashed into a pile of snow, jumped up, shook snowflakes from our faces and raced back up.

Sometimes it was cold or someone's parents drove us back into the house to keep warm. We took off our wet coats and hats, put them on the radiator so that they would dry faster, and sometimes, without waiting, put them on again and raced up the hill.

I went into the kitchen, poured boiling water from the kettle into a cup, and tossed the tea bag in, shaking it slowly as I watched the reddish-brown color of the rooibos flow like ink into the water. She went to the sideboard and took out a pack of cookies, bought the day before.

Pushing a cart down the aisles of the grocery store, I was lost in the day's worries when I saw a familiar orange pack of cookies I hadn't eaten since I was a kid. It looked like windmills, light brown, with almond flecks scattered across the dough.

In the blink of an eye, I forgot about the confusion of thoughts that did not let me go, and reached for the pack on the shelf. The inscription was exactly the same as it had been when I was a child, thick and slightly smeared, as if it had been printed on an old-fashioned press. The company logo was a greased windmill and a family name, and when I turned the pack over, I saw that the cookies were still being made in a small town up north.

Suddenly, I felt immense gratitude that this delicacy had ended up here, on the shelf of a nearby store. She smoothed out the wrapper and peered through the cellophane at the cookies. It wasn't perfectly shaped, each a little irregular, some darker, thicker, or paler. They immediately migrated to my cart, and since then I have been looking forward to the moment to open them for tea.

I ate these cookies at my grandparents' house. Looking back, I couldn't remember trying them anywhere else. She took out a plate, placed a stack of windmills on it, and carried them back to the chair by the window. Sitting comfortably and tucking her legs under her, she put the blanket on her knees and took one of the cookies. I brought it to my nose and inhaled the sweet aroma.

There was some spice in it - I smelled the smell of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and a faint cherry-sweet aroma of almonds. I took a bite, the cookies were a little crumbly and dry, but the taste immediately brought me back to my grandparents' kitchen. Their house was small, with a tiny front porch, and nestled in a cozy spot among tall, old trees. Their shadows lurked in every corner, and the rooms were filled with paintings and toys that had once belonged to my father. But in the daytime the house was bright and full of sun.

Grandmother hid the “windmills” in the back of the cupboard, covering the cookies with a jar of flour so that grandfather would not accidentally stumble upon them. She and I would put a pack of biscuits on the table and each one would dip them into their drink, Grandmother into coffee and I into cocoa, and slowly ate it while watching the squirrels running along the fence.

Maybe I inherited a penchant for quiet contemplation from her. Looking out over the snow-covered yard, I raised my cup to share my memories of our time in the kitchen with her, then washed down the cookies with a slow sip of tea. A few more guys ran to their friends on the hill, and mittens dangled from strings on their wrists. I saw how the snow lay flat on the bare branches of a plane tree in a neighbor's yard and the slanting peach-orange rays of the setting sun spilled across the sky. Yes, I will be happy for spring when it comes, but I was happy to stay at home and watch the snow fall.

Sweet dreams.

More cozy stories, meditations to relieve stress throughout the day, recipes and crafts in Katherine Nicolai's book Nothing Special Happens. Cozy stories for restful sleep. Reclaim your restful sleep and all the joys that come with it.

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Nothing special is happening. Cozy stories for restful sleepCatherine Nikolay

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Bedtime reading stories

One of the recommendations that teachers and grandparents give us is to read a bedtime story to a child. This is a shared and intimate moment between mother and child, and also with the father. This time is a gift for the child and also for us, so no matter how tired you are, don't miss it.

Thinking that the day was long for both you and your son, We will recommend you some stories that you can read to him before going to bed. It will take you no more than five minutes and you will see what the reward is worth. There will be an intimate moment between you.

Index

1 Benefits of reading to a child before bed
2 Stories with values before bed
3 Stories for teaching children

Benefits of reading to a child before bed

Even if the child cannot read it is important that you see how you handle the book, and you tell him the stories that emerge from this magical object in the form of written words. By telling a story every day, you create a bond that will motivate your child to read. The child will feel valued and loved, you devote exceptional time to him, which strengthens his self-esteem.

As a recommendation, we inform you that do not choose stories with situations or characters that may cause anxiety children. Look for good stories with values and without much action. This will help your child sleep better. Much better than watching TV or watching a mobile phone, with lighting that is not useful for a good rest.

For young children Reading children's stories helps them expand their vocabulary and improve their speaking skills. Here We recommend stories for 3 year old boys and girls. For slightly older children, you can ask them to read you a story so that they improve their attention, concentration and spelling.

Bedtime Value Stories

We made selections of 3 very short stories to help your child learn value stories. You can find these stories online and print them out, or ask your librarian and bookseller to get them for you. Don't be surprised if he asks you to read it over and over again.

Mountain and bird . This story tells the story of the friendship between a bird and a mountain. With it, you can convey the value of friends and their loyalty.
Love without mistakes is a very funny children's story that tells a love story between the letters M and B. With this story, children will learn why M and B always go together.
Leo and his bike is a story to teach your child how to deal with disappointment. It's about a boy, Leo, who gets very angry every time he falls off his bike.

These are some of the stories we offer, but we have others.

Stories for teaching children

Now we bring you a series of stories to help you teach your kids to brush their teeth with more courage or not to hit their siblings and they might even get out of your bed and decide to sleep alone.

Ana and the muscle club, This is a girl who didn't want to brush her teeth because she preferred to play. Until one day he meets cute little mice.
Nacho sleeps alone is the story of Nacho, a boy who went to bed with his parents every night, very frightened by a terrible monster that appeared in his dreams. Luckily, his mother teaches him a trick so that the creature will never visit him again.
Bye, dummy, bye. This is a short story about how Simon has to cope with the moment when he stops suckling and becomes an adult.
Non-stick . This is a story that offers us an original solution for two brothers who tend to fight and even beat each other.

With these suggestions We wanted to get rid of the classic fairy tales and fables, but they are absolutely true. We just wanted to give you other options that we hope you've been convinced.