Speaker 1: Welcome in everyone to Lively Lewis Stories. That's right, We're
Speaker 1: back with even more awesome adventures with Levi and Ivy.
Speaker 1: Set your storytime meter too fun and get ready to
Speaker 1: join the Lively Lewis crew. All you need is your
Speaker 1: imagination and we go. I can't make you see were
Speaker 1: my story can't just good day. Have you ever wanted
Speaker 1: to get more Lively Lewis in your life, Well we've
Speaker 1: got you covered. Grab an adult and zoom over to
Speaker 1: livelyleuishop dot com or just click on the link in
Speaker 1: our show notes. Enough about that, let's get too Today's
Speaker 1: super Live Ay Lewis story. Mom have you seen dad?
Speaker 1: Called out Levi as he ran into the house. He
Speaker 1: said he was going to take me to the store
Speaker 1: to get some new soccer cleats. I think he's still
Speaker 1: in the office, answered Levi's mom, as Ivy ran into
Speaker 1: the kitchen too. Mom, have you seen dad? Ivy asked?
Speaker 1: He said he was gonna fix my dollhouse. The elevator
Speaker 1: won't work and my dolls need to get to the
Speaker 1: pool on the third floor. While that does seem like
Speaker 1: a big problem, Ivy, your dad is working right now,
Speaker 1: said Ivy's mom. But he promised, said Ivy and Levi
Speaker 1: at the same time, sounding very disappointed. He's always busy lately,
Speaker 1: added Levi. Yeah, I feel like we haven't seen him
Speaker 1: in a week, said Ivy. And when we do, he
Speaker 1: seems tired and unhappy. I know, replied Levi and Ivy's mom.
Speaker 1: He's just been really busy lately with work. He has
Speaker 1: a lot going on right now. But I know more
Speaker 1: than anything he wishes he could be with us. We
Speaker 1: just have to be patient. His work schedule should be
Speaker 1: slowing down in the next week or so. Levi and
Speaker 1: Ivy understood what their mom was saying, but it didn't
Speaker 1: make them miss their dad any less or feel any
Speaker 1: less disappointed. When he failed to keep his promises, they
Speaker 1: felt bad for their dad and knew there must be
Speaker 1: something they could do to help him out. They had
Speaker 1: both been learning about self care at school, and they
Speaker 1: felt that maybe that's what their dad needed. They ran
Speaker 1: out to their treehouse and, with the information they had
Speaker 1: learned at school, started to put together a plan. Once
Speaker 1: they were done, they ran back inside and told their
Speaker 1: mom what they were going to do. That is so
Speaker 1: nice of you, said Levin and Ivy's Mom, I know
Speaker 1: your dad will really appreciate it, but I'm just not
Speaker 1: sure when the best time is for you to go
Speaker 1: in and talk with them. I say, the longer we wait,
Speaker 1: the more into his work he'll get, said Levi. We
Speaker 1: should just go in now. I agree. There's no better
Speaker 1: time than right now, as far as I'm concerned, added
Speaker 1: Ivy as they both turned and walked toward their dad's office.
Speaker 1: Their mom didn't know if it would work the way
Speaker 1: they wanted it to, but she was willing to let
Speaker 1: them try. She also wanted her husband to stop working
Speaker 1: so much, take better care of himself, and spend more
Speaker 1: time with the family like he wanted. Good luck, Levin
Speaker 1: Ivy's mom whispered as she watched her kids disappear down
Speaker 1: the hall. She was ready to let Levi and Ivy
Speaker 1: work on this project and hoped for the best, but
Speaker 1: little did she know she would be called in to
Speaker 1: help sooner than later. As they walked towards their dad's
Speaker 1: office door, Levi and Ivy went over the different self
Speaker 1: care topics they were going to go over with him,
Speaker 1: very confident that this would be exactly the help he
Speaker 1: needed and he would be back to good and no
Speaker 1: time working only some of the day and having more
Speaker 1: time to spend with his family. As they stood outside
Speaker 1: his office door, they looked at each other one last
Speaker 1: time before knocking three times. They knew their dad was inside.
Speaker 1: They could hear him talking on the phone. However, he
Speaker 1: didn't respond, so once again they knocked on the door,
Speaker 1: but this time they didn't wait for a response. Instead,
Speaker 1: they pushed open the door and walked inside. That's when
Speaker 1: they saw just how bad their dad's work situation had gotten.
Speaker 1: There in a dimly lit office, sat Levin and Ivy's
Speaker 1: dad with his back turned to them. The only light
Speaker 1: beside a little sunlight coming in through a window, was
Speaker 1: the glow of both his computer and his laptop. The
Speaker 1: screens were filled with open tabs and files, each needing
Speaker 1: his attention, But since Levi and Ivy needed his attention too,
Speaker 1: they decided to carry on with their plan. Their dad
Speaker 1: continued to talk on a cell phone and put his
Speaker 1: hand up to let him know that he needed just
Speaker 1: another minute. They waited patiently, and once he ended his call,
Speaker 1: they asked if he had some time for them. He
Speaker 1: said yes quickly, but as he was listening, his eyes
Speaker 1: never turned away from his laptop and computer. Hey, Levi
Speaker 1: and Ivy, I'm really sorry. I've been working so much,
Speaker 1: but I have so much that needs to get done,
Speaker 1: said their dad. I know, I'm supposed to take Ivy
Speaker 1: to buy soccer cleats and for her dolls and fix
Speaker 1: Levi's elevator. Levi and Ivy looked at each other and
Speaker 1: giggled as their dad confused the things that they each
Speaker 1: wanted him to do. Well, something like that, said Levi
Speaker 1: with a smile. We know you're busy and aren't here
Speaker 1: to ask for your help. We're actually here to help you,
Speaker 1: added Ivy. Levi and Ivy's dad stopped what he was
Speaker 1: doing and slowly began to turn around in his chair.
Speaker 1: He was so touched that his kids had thought of
Speaker 1: him and were there to help. But it was as
Speaker 1: he turned to face them that Levi and Ivy realized
Speaker 1: maybe they were too late. Ah, screamed Levi and Ivy,
Speaker 1: staring at their dad in front of them. What what's wrong,
Speaker 1: he asked, not sure what would cause them to react
Speaker 1: that way. Dad, it's your face, said Levi. Wow, thanks, buddy.
Speaker 1: I know I've been working a lot, but I can't
Speaker 1: look that bad, replied Levi's dad, and your arms in
Speaker 1: your hands, added Ivy. You're gray, Mom, come in here quick,
Speaker 1: called out Levi, as his dad stood up and looked
Speaker 1: in the mirror he had on his office wall. What
Speaker 1: do you mean I look perfectly normal, said their dad.
Speaker 1: Maybe a little tired and sure, I've had better hair days,
Speaker 1: but I'm not gray. Oh my gosh, Levi, he can't
Speaker 1: see what we see, said Ivy to her brother. It's
Speaker 1: just like we learned about in school when we were
Speaker 1: studying self care, replied Levi. Sometimes the person in need
Speaker 1: of help can't notice it themselves. I'm so glad we
Speaker 1: came in when we did. Just then, Levi and Ivy's
Speaker 1: mom walked into the office and couldn't believe her eyes.
Speaker 1: She knew by looking at her husband exactly why she
Speaker 1: was called into the room. Oh no, what's going on,
Speaker 1: asked Levi and Ivy's mom. We think we know, said
Speaker 1: Ivy as she told her mom to sit down. Dad
Speaker 1: is grey because he's exhausted. He's not full of color
Speaker 1: and life like he usually is, because he's been working
Speaker 1: too hard and not taking care of himself. Yeah, added Levi,
Speaker 1: he's overworked and he needs to take a break and
Speaker 1: concentrate on his own self care so he could become
Speaker 1: himself again. At that point, Levi and Ivy's dad was
Speaker 1: looking more and more confused as everyone in the room
Speaker 1: was saying he was completely gray. So if I'm gray
Speaker 1: like you're saying, why can't I see it, asked their dad.
Speaker 1: Because you're focused on your work that you can't see
Speaker 1: anything else, replied Levi. You need to focus on you
Speaker 1: and fast. We miss you and we want to see
Speaker 1: you happy again. Levi and Ivy's dad managed a little
Speaker 1: smile and gave his kids a big hug. He was
Speaker 1: so grateful that they were there to help. So first,
Speaker 1: you need to turn off your computer and your laptop,
Speaker 1: said Ivy, and your phone, added Levine Ivy's mom. You
Speaker 1: need to focus completely on yourself, yes, and by doing that,
Speaker 1: you will be able to give attention to all the
Speaker 1: things in your life, not just your work, said Levi,
Speaker 1: putting his hand on his dad's shoulder and leading him
Speaker 1: over to the couch to sit down. After Levi and
Speaker 1: Ivy's dad hesitantly turned off all his electronic devices, he
Speaker 1: took a seat and waited for more instructions. Okay, okay,
Speaker 1: I'm willing to listen and do whatever it takes to
Speaker 1: get back to a good balance between my work and
Speaker 1: home life, started Levin Ivy's dad. I really do miss
Speaker 1: being with all of you and feeling energized. I can't
Speaker 1: thank you enough for stepping into help. We love you, dad,
Speaker 1: and we'll do whatever it takes to help you out,
Speaker 1: said Ivy. She and Levi then went on to tell
Speaker 1: their dad a little bit about what they learned at
Speaker 1: school about self care and how important it is to
Speaker 1: look after yourself. The first thing they asked their dad
Speaker 1: to do was simply close his eyes. Hey, friends, do
Speaker 1: you think we can do this with Ivy and Levi's dad?
Speaker 1: Close your eyes and just that simple act seem to
Speaker 1: make him so relaxed After long days and even longer
Speaker 1: nights working on projects in the last few weeks, Levi
Speaker 1: and Ivy's dad really felt a sense of calm by
Speaker 1: just closing his eyes for a moment. All right, what's next.
Speaker 1: We have our eyes closed. Everyone's eyes are closed. Now.
Speaker 1: Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth,
Speaker 1: said Levi and Ivy as they went to get something
Speaker 1: from the kitchen. Did you do it, friends, let's do
Speaker 1: it together. Great job. If you want to do a
Speaker 1: couple more, that's great. It's a really good way to
Speaker 1: make our bodies calm down. When she got back, she
Speaker 1: was holding a large glass of water. Now open your
Speaker 1: eyes and drink this water, instructed Ivy. Yes, the whole thing.
Speaker 1: We've been noticing that you don't drink enough water, and
Speaker 1: that can make you feel really sluggish and tired. Your
Speaker 1: body and your mind need water to function properly. So
Speaker 1: if you have a glass of water near you, let's
Speaker 1: take up a big drink of water. Good job, all right,
Speaker 1: Let's see what else we gotta do, Levi and Ivy's
Speaker 1: dad smiled as he slowly drank his water and continued
Speaker 1: to breathe slowly, resting his mind and body. Ivy was
Speaker 1: also holding something else in her hand, a shiny red apple. Dad.
Speaker 1: You also need to make sure you're eating throughout the day,
Speaker 1: sorted Levi as he picked up some trash from his
Speaker 1: dad's desk. And it can't just be chips and candy,
Speaker 1: that's right, you need to eat things like fruits and vegetables,
Speaker 1: added Ivy. Wow, I can't believe you too, are telling
Speaker 1: me to eat better, laughed Levi and Ivy's dad. Didn't
Speaker 1: you win an ice cream eating contest last week after dinner? Levi. Well,
Speaker 1: you can have treats here and there, just not all
Speaker 1: the time, responded Levi. You need to feed your body
Speaker 1: with things that it needs to work at its best.
Speaker 1: As their dad ate his apple, Levi and Ivy went
Speaker 1: on to tell him how they had also learned in
Speaker 1: school that meditation and good sleeping habits are important to
Speaker 1: self care. They also told him that self care isn't
Speaker 1: all about being quiet and resting, but it's also about
Speaker 1: taking time away from stressful situations like work, to be
Speaker 1: active and do something you love, like playing soccer or painting.
Speaker 1: As he sat there, Levi and Ivy's dad listened to
Speaker 1: everything they had to say with an open mind and
Speaker 1: an open heart. Hanging out with you, too and mom
Speaker 1: is something I really love doing and something I should
Speaker 1: have made time for these last few weeks, said their dad.
Speaker 1: I know that now, and I will be sure to
Speaker 1: put that at the top of my to do list
Speaker 1: every day moving forward. Everyone was so happy to hear that,
Speaker 1: but they also wanted to let their dad know that
Speaker 1: they understood that he worked hard to provide for the
Speaker 1: family and sometimes he would just be busy. But when
Speaker 1: that happens, instead of trying to do it all, he
Speaker 1: should ask for help. You know, you can always ask
Speaker 1: me to help you out, too, said Levin Ivey's mom.
Speaker 1: I'd be happy to take Levi to get a soccer
Speaker 1: cleats or help Ivy fanitir dollhouse elevator. I know, it's
Speaker 1: just I love doing those things, and I thought i'd
Speaker 1: have time to do it all, replied Levi and Ivy's dad. Also,
Speaker 1: I know how busy you are, and I didn't want
Speaker 1: to add one more thing on your schedule. However, now
Speaker 1: I know that we're all here to help each other,
Speaker 1: and I'll definitely reach out if I get overwhelmed at
Speaker 1: work again. Everyone was so happy with how their talk
Speaker 1: was going that they almost didn't notice something extremely important.
Speaker 1: What do you think they noticed? Levi began, Ivy look
Speaker 1: at dad. Oh no, what's wrong? Am I even grayer?
Speaker 1: Do I look like an elephant now? He asked, running
Speaker 1: over to the mirror. No, quite the opposite, answered Levi.
Speaker 1: You're back to your old self again. No more gray.
Speaker 1: And even though Levi and Ivy's dad didn't see himself
Speaker 1: as gray when he looked in the mirror before. He
Speaker 1: could see now that his smile looked bigger, his cheeks rosier,
Speaker 1: and his eyes brighter. He looked happier and more relaxed
Speaker 1: than he had in a long time, and couldn't wait
Speaker 1: to share the rest of the day with his family,
Speaker 1: who he had been missing so much. I feel great
Speaker 1: and it is all thanks to you, said Levine Ivy's
Speaker 1: dad as he hugged his kids and his wife. I
Speaker 1: say we head out for some ice cream and then
Speaker 1: tackle all those promises I made you guys this week.
Speaker 1: So for the rest of the afternoon, Levi, Ivy and
Speaker 1: their dad and their mom turned off all their screens
Speaker 1: and just had some much needed family time. Levi and
Speaker 1: Ivy's dad remembered every word his kids had told them
Speaker 1: about self care and tried his best to practice all
Speaker 1: the skills they taught him, and thankfully for everyone, he
Speaker 1: was never gray again. Thanks for joining us today. We
Speaker 1: hope you enjoyed the story and learned a little something too.
Speaker 1: And since we know everyone has their own story, we'd
Speaker 1: love to hear yours. If you have an idea for
Speaker 1: a lively Lowis story. Leave a comment on our Apple
Speaker 1: Podcast review page with five stars, your idea, and your
Speaker 1: little one's name. Then maybe I'm next to thank you
Speaker 1: will be with you until our next story time hang
Speaker 1: out in frames, I mean, we can't wait to share
Speaker 1: another fun, lively Lewis story with you