When Jodie Was Lost
Children's Story
It was Jodie's first holiday at the seaside, and she loved it. The weather was warm and sunny, and Jodie spent every day on the beach with her Mum and Dad. Mostly her Mum and Dad wanted to lie on sun loungers on the sand, with a wind-break to protect them from any breeze, but sometimes they built sandcastles with Jodie. And sometimes they played French cricket with her and with lots of other children who miraculously appeared whenever the bat and the ball emerged from Jodie's Mum's large shopping bag.
Sometimes Jodie would wander down to the water's edge, and paddle in the sea. "Don't go too far, Jodie," her Dad would call out. Sometimes he went right into the sea with Jodie, and they'd swim together, although Jodie could only swim with arm bands.
Sometimes Jodie and her Dad would walk right along to the end of the beach, where the cliffs rose from the water and the sand changed into rocks. Then they'd clamber over the rocks, peering into rock pools and discovering crabs and shells and limpets and tiny fish.
One day Jodie wandered down to the water's edge by herself. "Don't go too far, Jodie," warned her Mum. "The tide's about to turn."
Jodie waved to show she'd heard, but she didn't take much notice. She drifted along the edge of the sea, enjoying the feel of the wet sand between her toes and looking out for starfish and crabs. Before long she found herself amongst the rock pools, and became absorbed in peering under seaweed and turning up shells to see what was underneath. She forgot about her Mum and Dad, and she forgot about the tide until she heard a faint voice crying, "Jodie, Jodie. Where are you?"
Jodie looked up, and to her horror discovered she was all alone, standing on a large rock in the middle of the sea. She hadn't noticed the tide had coming in all around her. She was terrified. She turned towards the beach and screamed and waved her arms, and saw two tiny figures begin to swim out towards her. It was her parents. As they drew closer and Jodie knew she'd be rescued safely, Jodie began to wonder what her parents would say. Would they stop her ever coming to the beach again? Would they say she couldn't go off by herself ever again? They were sure to scold her, and the day would be ruined.
Jodie's eyes filled with tears. But as her Mum and Dad scrambled onto Jodie's rock, their eyes were filled with love. They both hugged Jodie as hard as they could, and her Mum said, "It's all right, love. We're here now. Don't cry."
They had quite a job to help Jodie swim back through the sea to dry land, but they managed in the end. Then they went straight to the ice-cream seller and bought Jodie the biggest ice-cream she'd ever seen. "Because we're so pleased to have you back safe and sound," explained Jodie's Dad. "And you know," he added, "I don't want you to go off getting lost, but even if you were to keep getting lost, I'll always come looking for you. Because your Mum and I love you more than anything in the whole world. And whatever happens, we'll always be there for you."
Jodie snuggled up against him and felt safe. Then she wandered down to water's edge again, and began to paddle in the waves.
Sometimes Jodie would wander down to the water's edge, and paddle in the sea. "Don't go too far, Jodie," her Dad would call out. Sometimes he went right into the sea with Jodie, and they'd swim together, although Jodie could only swim with arm bands.
Sometimes Jodie and her Dad would walk right along to the end of the beach, where the cliffs rose from the water and the sand changed into rocks. Then they'd clamber over the rocks, peering into rock pools and discovering crabs and shells and limpets and tiny fish.
One day Jodie wandered down to the water's edge by herself. "Don't go too far, Jodie," warned her Mum. "The tide's about to turn."
Jodie waved to show she'd heard, but she didn't take much notice. She drifted along the edge of the sea, enjoying the feel of the wet sand between her toes and looking out for starfish and crabs. Before long she found herself amongst the rock pools, and became absorbed in peering under seaweed and turning up shells to see what was underneath. She forgot about her Mum and Dad, and she forgot about the tide until she heard a faint voice crying, "Jodie, Jodie. Where are you?"
Jodie looked up, and to her horror discovered she was all alone, standing on a large rock in the middle of the sea. She hadn't noticed the tide had coming in all around her. She was terrified. She turned towards the beach and screamed and waved her arms, and saw two tiny figures begin to swim out towards her. It was her parents. As they drew closer and Jodie knew she'd be rescued safely, Jodie began to wonder what her parents would say. Would they stop her ever coming to the beach again? Would they say she couldn't go off by herself ever again? They were sure to scold her, and the day would be ruined.
Jodie's eyes filled with tears. But as her Mum and Dad scrambled onto Jodie's rock, their eyes were filled with love. They both hugged Jodie as hard as they could, and her Mum said, "It's all right, love. We're here now. Don't cry."
They had quite a job to help Jodie swim back through the sea to dry land, but they managed in the end. Then they went straight to the ice-cream seller and bought Jodie the biggest ice-cream she'd ever seen. "Because we're so pleased to have you back safe and sound," explained Jodie's Dad. "And you know," he added, "I don't want you to go off getting lost, but even if you were to keep getting lost, I'll always come looking for you. Because your Mum and I love you more than anything in the whole world. And whatever happens, we'll always be there for you."
Jodie snuggled up against him and felt safe. Then she wandered down to water's edge again, and began to paddle in the waves.
