Stories for Children Magazine

Sugar Paw and the Babysitter

By: VS Grenier

“Don’t go!” cried Sugar Paw.     

“You’ll be all right,” replied Papa Bear. “Bonnie Whiskers is the best babysitter in town.”

Sugar Paw gave Papa Bear his “I don’t think so” look.

“Be good, okay?” Papa Bear said as he walked out.

The doorbell rang.

“Hello Bonnie Whiskers, come in. Sugar Paw is upstairs, but let me go over the rules chart in the kitchen.” That was all Sugar Paw heard from his bedroom door.

Sugar Paw decided he would slip into the kitchen and make changes to the rules chart.

There on the wall was . . .

Sugar Paw’s Rule Chart:

                        No TV after 7:00 pm

                        Read two pages of “Itsy Bitsy Spider”

Take bath after reading

Clean room before bed

No playing with paints

Bedtime at 8:00 pm

Sugar Paw quickly made some changes.

Sugar Paw’s Rule Chart:

                      No TV after 9:00 pm

                     Read all pages of “Itsy Bitsy Spider”

                    Take bath after reading

                    Clean room before bedtime snack

                    Play with paints

                   Bedtime at 10:00 pm

“There,” he said in a whisper.

“Sugar Paw!”

It was Papa Bear. Sugar Paw ran out of the kitchen, and right into Mama Bear.

“This is Bonnie Whiskers. She is looking forward to getting to know you,” said Papa Bear as Mama Bear kissed Sugar Paw goodbye.

Bonnie Whiskers tried to get Sugar Paw to play Hide and Seek.

Sugar Paw pretended he didn’t see her hiding behind the couch, and he dropped water on her head.

Bonnie Whiskers looked at the rules chart while drying her furry ears. “We need to read Itsy Bitsy Spider,” she said.

Sugar Paw got his book. Then he threw it in the trash.

Bonnie Whiskers wiped the book clean and then read to Sugar Paw.

“Did you clean your room today?” she asked.

“Oh yes,” exclaimed Sugar Paw.

“Then I’ll make you a snack,” said Bonnie Whiskers.

After his snack, it was time to take a bath. Sugar Paw wouldn’t get up, so Bonnie Whiskers had to carry him upstairs.

Sugar Paw poured Mama Bear’s favorite bubble bath into the tub. He played Sinbad the sailor.

Splish! Splash!

Sugar Paw put on his PJs while Bonnie Whiskers mopped up the bathroom floor.

After the bath, they played with paints. Bonnie Whiskers painted a flower with little butterflies. Sugar Paw painted Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and himself.

“Sugar Paw, be careful,” cried Bonnie Whiskers.

It was too late. Red paint spilled on the white carpet.

“It’s 10:00,” Bonnie Whiskers said. “Time for bed.”

Sugar Paw started to feel guilty.

He knew Bonnie Whiskers was going to be in trouble because of him.

He walked back downstairs. Bonnie Whiskers was in the kitchen looking at the rules chart, shaking her head.

“I’m really sorry,” he said sadly. “I changed the rules chart.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Because I . . . didn’t want a babysitter.”

“How about now?”

“Yes,” replied Sugar Paw. “Will you come back?”

Bonnie Whiskers hugged him. “I’ll come back.”

“You will!”

The next morning, Sugar Paw told Mama and Papa Bear about his night with Bonnie Whiskers.

Mama and Papa Bear were surprised.

Sugar Paw turned around and looked at the rules chart. It read . . .

Sugar Paw’s Rule Chart:

                         No TV after 7:00 pm

                         Must read two pages of “Itsy Bitsy Spider”

Take bath after reading

Must clean room before bed

No playing with paints

Bedtime at 8:00 pm

He knew Bonnie Whiskers was the best babysitter.

~The End~

Illustration Copyright © 2008 Kevin Scott Collier

Copyright © 2008 by VS Grenier