Goldilocks and the Three Bears: A Bedtime Story for Kids on Empathy and Making Amends

Deep in the woods, in a charming little cottage with a bright blue door, lived a family of three bears: a great big Papa Bear with a deep, rumbling voice; a kind, medium-sized Mama Bear with a soft, gentle voice; and a wee little Baby Bear with a small, squeaky voice. One morning, Mama Bear made some delicious porridge for breakfast, simmering it with sweet berries and a swirl of honey. But when she poured it into their bowls, it was much too hot to eat.

"What a perfect morning for a walk in the woods while our porridge cools," suggested Papa Bear. So, the three bears put on their hats and went out into the fresh, sunlit forest.

A Curious Visitor

A little while later, a curious girl with golden curls named Goldilocks was exploring the woods. She had a habit of following her curiosity wherever it led, without always thinking first. She saw the bears' cottage and, noticing the door was slightly ajar, she peeked inside. "Hello?" she called. When no one answered, she let her curiosity get the better of her and stepped inside without being invited.

On the table, she saw three bowls of porridge. "Oh, I'm so hungry!" she thought. She tasted the porridge from the great big bowl. "Ouch! Too hot!" she cried. She tried the porridge from the medium bowl. "Brrr! Too cold!" she shivered. Then she tried the porridge from the wee little bowl, and it was warm, sweet, and perfectly creamy. It was so delicious that she ate every last spoonful.

Making Herself at Home

Feeling full, she looked for a place to sit. She tried Papa Bear's big, hard chair. "Too hard!" she declared. She tried Mama Bear's medium, soft chair. "Too soft!" she sighed. Then she tried Baby Bear's wee little chair, and it was just right! But as she rocked back and forth, CRACK! The little chair broke into pieces!

"Oh dear," Goldilocks said, but her sleepiness soon overtook her worry. She went upstairs and saw three beds. She tried Papa Bear's bed, but it was too firm. She tried Mama Bear's bed, but it was too bouncy. Then she tried Baby Bear's wee little bed, and it was so cozy and soft that she snuggled under the covers and fell fast asleep.

The Bears Return

Soon, the three bears came home, feeling hungry after their walk. They immediately saw that someone had been in their house.

"Someone's been eating my porridge!" growled Papa Bear.

"Someone's been eating my porridge!" said Mama Bear.

"Someone's been eating my porridge," squeaked Baby Bear, his little voice trembling, "and they've eaten it all up!"

Then they saw the chairs. "Someone's been sitting in my chair!" growled Papa Bear.

"Someone's been sitting in my chair!" said Mama Bear. "Someone's been sitting in my chair," cried Baby Bear, looking at the broken pieces, "and they've broken it all to bits!"

A Lesson Learned

They tiptoed upstairs. "Someone's been sleeping in my bed!" growled Papa Bear.

"Someone's been sleeping in my bed!" said Mama Bear. "Someone's been sleeping in my bed," cried Baby Bear, "and she's still here!"

Just then, Goldilocks woke up. She saw three bears staring down at her and was so frightened that she leaped out of bed, scrambled down the stairs, and ran out of the house as fast as her legs could carry her.

As she ran home, her fear started to fade, and a different feeling bubbled up inside her: a feeling of regret. She stopped to catch her breath and started to think about what she had done. She had gone into someone's home without asking. She had used their things, eaten their food, and broken their furniture. She tried to imagine how the bear family must have felt coming home to such a mess.

She pictured Baby Bear's sad face when he saw his empty bowl and his broken chair. It made her own heart feel heavy. She knew she had made a mistake, and a real hero doesn't just run away from their mistakes; they try to fix them.

The next day, Goldilocks asked her father for help. Together, they repaired the little chair, making it stronger than before. She also baked a small honey cake to make up for the porridge. She walked back to the cottage and knocked gently on the bright blue door. When the bears answered, she took a deep breath and said, "I am very sorry I came into your house without asking. It was not a kind thing to do, and I am sorry I broke your chair and ate your breakfast."

The three bears, seeing how sincere and sorry she was, forgave her. Goldilocks learned that it's okay to make mistakes, but the most important part is to feel empathy for others, say you're sorry, and always try to make things right again.