This gentle story about telling the truth is perfect for young children who are still learning about being honest after making a mistake. In this warm bedtime story, Leo discovers that even a small lie can feel heavy inside, and that feeling brave enough to tell the truth makes everything lighter again.
Scroll down to read the full story or listen to the audio version below
Leo and the Broken Vase
Leo liked to run fast in the living room.
His socks made him slide across the smooth floor.
He pretended he was a race car.
Zoom. Turn. Zoom.
“Careful, Leo,” Mom called from the kitchen. “No running inside.”
“I know!” Leo answered.
But he zoomed again.
On the small table near the window stood a tall blue vase with tiny white flowers. Mom loved that vase.
Leo turned too quickly.
His elbow bumped the table.
The table shook.
The vase wobbled.
Then—
Crash!
Blue pieces scattered across the floor.
Leo froze.
His heart beat fast.
“Oh no,” he whispered.
Mom’s footsteps came closer.
“Leo? What happened?”
Leo looked at the window. The curtain moved a little.
“The wind,” he said quickly. “The wind knocked it over.”
Mom glanced at the window. It was barely open.
“The wind?” she asked softly.
Leo nodded. He stared at the floor. He did not look at her.
His cheeks felt warm. His tummy felt heavy, like a rock was sitting inside.
Mom carefully picked up the pieces.
“It’s just a vase,” she said gently. “I’m glad you’re safe.”
She wasn’t angry.
But the heavy feeling did not go away.
Later, Leo sat quietly with his stuffed bear.
He hugged it tight.
“It was a small lie,” he whispered.
Being honest suddenly felt very hard.
But not telling the truth felt even harder.
At dinner, Leo barely spoke.
He pushed his food around his plate.
“You seem quiet,” Mom said kindly.
Leo shrugged.
His chest felt tight.
After dinner, Mom sat beside him.
“Sometimes when something breaks, it feels scary,” she said softly. “We worry about getting in trouble.”
Leo blinked.
“ But telling the truth helps me understand what really happened.”
Tears filled Leo’s eyes.
“The wind didn’t do it,” he said in a tiny voice.
Mom stayed calm.
“I was running,” Leo admitted. “I hit the table. I didn’t want you to be mad.”
He twisted his fingers together.
“I was scared.”
Mom gently lifted his chin so he could see her face.
“Thank you for telling the truth,” she said.
“You’re not mad?” Leo asked.
“I was sad about the vase,” Mom replied. “But I care more about you being honest.”
Leo felt something change inside him.
The heavy rock in his tummy started to shrink.
“I told a small lie,” he said.
“Yes,” Mom said. “But you were brave enough to fix it.”
Brave.
He hadn’t felt brave before.
But he did now.
Mom pulled him into a warm hug.
“Accidents happen,” she said. “What matters most is telling the truth.”
Leo rested against her.
His chest didn’t feel tight anymore.
His tummy felt light.
That night, as Mom tucked him into bed, Leo thought about the broken vase.
It was still broken.
But something else felt fixed.
“Mom?” he whispered.
“Yes?”
“Next time I’ll tell the truth right away.”
Mom kissed his forehead.
“Being honest makes problems smaller,” she said softly. “And it makes hearts lighter.”
Leo snuggled under his blanket.
He might still make mistakes sometimes.
Everyone did.
But now he knew something important.
Telling the truth didn’t make love disappear.
It made it stronger.
And as he closed his eyes, Leo felt safe.
Very safe.
His heart felt light.
If you liked this story, Storyender is full of value-based stories and other important life lessons in a way children can understand and remember.
