Listen to “The Bedtime Clock That Ran Backward” on Spreaker.
Every night, just before bedtime, Emily brushed her teeth, put on her pajamas, and climbed into bed. Her room was quiet and warm, filled with soft shadows and the gentle glow of her nightlight.
On her wall hung a small round clock.
Emily liked that clock. It had silver hands and tiny stars painted around the edge. But one night, as Emily snuggled under her blanket, she noticed something strange.
The clock ticked.
Then it ticked again.
But the hands were moving backward.
Emily blinked. “That’s odd,” she whispered.
Tick… tock… tick…
Instead of moving toward bedtime, the clock slowly turned back to earlier that day.
The room felt a little different. Softer. Quieter.
Suddenly, the wall beside her shimmered like a mirror, and a picture appeared inside it.
Emily gasped.
She was watching herself—standing in the kitchen that morning.
She saw herself rush past her little brother without saying good morning. She remembered feeling grumpy and sleepy.
Emily hugged her pillow. “I forgot to be kind,” she murmured.
The clock ticked again.
The picture changed.
Now Emily saw herself at school. She watched as she raised her hand even though she wasn’t sure of the answer. Her voice had shaken a little, but she had tried anyway.
Emily smiled. “I was brave,” she said softly.
Tick… tock…
The clock turned back once more.
This time, she saw herself on the playground. A friend had asked her to share the swing, and Emily had felt annoyed. But she stepped off and waited her turn.
“That was hard,” Emily whispered. “But I did it.”
The clock seemed to glow a little brighter.
Tick.
Another picture appeared.
Emily saw herself sitting alone at her desk, staring at a messy drawing. She remembered how frustrated she felt. She almost gave up—but then she kept going.
Emily felt warm inside. “I didn’t quit,” she said.
The clock slowed.
Tick… tock…
Now the pictures began to fade. The room returned to normal. The walls were still. The nightlight hummed gently.
Emily looked back at the clock.
Its hands stopped moving backward.
Slowly… carefully… they began to move forward again.
Tick.
Tock.
The clock chimed once—soft and quiet, like a lullaby.
Emily suddenly felt calm.
She realized something important.
The clock wasn’t trying to change her day.
It wasn’t fixing mistakes or erasing hard moments.
It was helping her remember.
Some days had grumpy parts.
Some moments were hard.
But there were also brave choices, kind acts, and times she didn’t give up.
Emily pulled her blanket up to her chin.
“Tomorrow,” she whispered, “I’ll try again.”
The clock glowed once more, and a tiny message appeared on its face:
Every day moves forward.
Every night helps you rest.
Emily smiled.
Tick… tock…
The clock kept perfect time.
And Emily drifted into sleep, ready for a brand-new morning.
The End!
🌟 Follow-Up Questions
- What part of Emily’s day would you like the bedtime clock to show you?
- Was there a moment in the story where Emily felt brave or kind? Have you felt that way too?
- If your clock could help you tomorrow, what would you want it to remind you of?
