John and the Wobbly Purple Monster

John loved his cosy home. It was filled with sunshine during the day, perfect for trying out new Lego creations in the living room or experimenting with different coloured paints at the kitchen table. When evening came, John loved the quiet time, reading storybooks with Mum before snuggling into his warm bed. Tonight, after a final big yawn, he pulled his koala blankie up to his chin, excited for sleep and whatever fun adventures tomorrow would bring.

But the night wasn't all sweet dreams. Suddenly, John’s eyes popped open. His heart was thumping like a drum! He’d had a big, scary dream about a giant, wobbly purple monster trying to steal his favourite toy car. Even though his room was dark and quiet now, the scary feeling stayed, making his tummy feel fluttery and small.

John squeezed his eyes shut tight, hoping the scary feeling would just go 'poof!' and disappear. He tried to think of his happy place – the park with the big red slide – but the purple monster's wobbly shadow seemed to wiggle in his mind. He even tried peeking under his bed, just in case, but only saw his lost sock. The fear clung to him like a sticky spiderweb, making him nervous about closing his eyes again.

Then, John remembered something amazing! His mum always said, "If something feels too big to handle, let's try talking about it, mate." Taking a deep breath, John decided to try something new, something brave. He quietly slipped out of bed, padded down the hallway, and gently tapped on his mum's door. "Mum?" he whispered, his voice a tiny squeak.

Mum hugged him tight, a warm, safe hug. She listened carefully about the wobbly purple monster and gently explained that dreams are just like silly stories our brains tell us while we sleep, not real at all. Soon, back in his own bed with Mum sitting nearby, John felt the scary feeling float away like a little balloon. He knew that even big, scary feelings can get smaller when you try talking about them. He closed his eyes, ready for truly sweet dreams this time.