John the Brave Explorer Needs a Rest

John was a brave explorer, and his Grandpa’s backyard was the wildest jungle in the world. The tomato plants were towering trees, the wiggly worms were slippery snakes, and the air smelled sweet like sunshine and dirt. John loved visiting. He would stomp his feet and declare, 'I'm John the Brave, and I'm ready for an adventure!' all day long.

After a huge day of exploring, Grandpa said, 'Time for a little rest inside, mate. Even brave explorers need to recharge.' But John shook his head. 'Explorers don't have rests, Grandpa! We have adventures!' He felt far too busy and brave for a quiet lie-down, so he kept playing until the sun went down.

The next morning, Grandpa had a surprise: huge cardboard boxes for building a cubby house. John should have been excited, but his arms felt heavy and his head felt fuzzy. Everything seemed tricky. The sticky tape got stuck to his fingers, and a tiny beetle made him jump and shout. A grumpy cloud was following him, and he didn't know why.

Finally, a box wouldn't stand up, and John felt a big, wobbly tear in his eye. He kicked the box softly. 'It's too hard!' he mumbled. Grandpa sat down beside him. 'You know,' he said kindly, 'the bravest thing an explorer can do is listen to their body. Real courage is knowing when it’s time to rest your adventuring muscles.' John thought about it. His muscles did feel very, very tired.

So, John bravely went inside for a short rest. He didn't sleep, but he lay on the comfy sofa and listened to a story. When he came back outside, the grumpy cloud was gone! The boxes seemed light, the tape worked perfectly, and together, he and Grandpa built the best cubby house ever. John learned that being a brave explorer wasn't just about adventures; it was also about being brave enough to rest.