FREE STORY: A Soggy Day
Here is the FREE story that helps for children who tend to focus on the negative, this short story was written exactly for them. It takes 5 minutes to read together and it plants a seed that can genuinely change how they see hard days. Scroll down to read it free right now.
A Soggy Day
If you focus on the bad, your day feels bad. If you focus on the good, everything changes.
Some people wake up smiling.
They stretch, hop out of bed, and sing songs like they’re in a Disney movie.
I am not one of those people.
This morning I opened my blinds and was greeted with pouring rain. The ONE day I needed it not to rain.
The night of our Big Soccer Game I was waiting for all week.
I couldn’t find my umbrella anywhere and I refused to hold a plastic bag over my head like my dad suggested.
So, I ran to the bus stop.
Correction: I tried to run.
Instead, I stepped directly into a giant puddle.
Now on top of my hair and clothes being soaked my socks were soaked too.
My shoes made squelching noises every time I walked.
Squish. Squish. Squish.
I was miserable.
And when I got to school, my teacher said,
"Good morning, class. POP QUIZ time!"
I froze.
My brain started SCREAMING.
A POP QUIZ?!
I wasn’t prepared.
I didn’t study.
I barely remembered what subject I was in.
I stared at the first question.
“Worst. Day. Ever,” I muttered.
Then I started writing down random answers and accepted my fate.
At lunch, I slammed my tray onto the table.
“This day is cursed.”
“What happened?” my friend, Sam, asked.
I told him about the umbrella and the puddle and how my socks were still wet. “And then we had a pop quiz!”
Sam winced. “Oof. That’s rough.”
“Right?!” I said. “Worst day ever.”
Sam thought for a minute. “Did you at least get one answer right?”
I groaned. “Probably not.”
But then I remembered the last question.
It was about space and I had just watched a video on it.
“I think,” I muttered, “I actually got the last one right.”
Sam nodded. “Nice. And at least the rain stopped.”
I blinked.
Wait.
The rain had stopped.
I hadn’t even noticed.
Then I realized something else.
The lunch lady accidentally gave me TWO brownies instead of one.
I stared at them.
Had my day gotten… better?
By focusing on the bad stuff, I’d missed the good parts.
✅ The sun came out. Soccer likely won’t be cancelled now.
✅ I probably got one quiz question right.
✅ I got a bonus brownie.
Maybe today wasn’t perfect.
But maybe…It wasn’t the worst day ever, either.
Takeaway
If you only focus on bad things, you’ll feel like your whole day is bad.
But if you look for even one good thing…
you’ll start to see more.
Instead of thinking, “This day is awful,” ask:
✅ What’s one tiny good thing that happened?
✅ Am I focusing only on the bad?
✅ Will this even matter next week?
Because the truth is?
Your brain finds what you tell it to look for.
Why not look for the good?
Try This
📌 Step 1: Think of a bad day you’ve had.
📌 Step 2: Find one good thing that happened that day.
📌 Step 3: See how it changes how you feel about the day.
Even on the worst days there’s always something good.
What Parents Are Saying
"My 8 year old has had several break-through moments while reading these stories! The stories opened up the way for her to be honest with me about struggles she has had with feeling left out. I am SO thankful for these! My 5 year old son has also loved them and benefited from them!!" - Erica D
These stories are great conversation starters! They are short, accessible, and in first person so my daughter really connects to them. We read one or two before bed every night. - Jessica L
PRICELESS! I wish I had this when I was a kid. This book is invaluable!- Catherine O.