Thunderstorms heighten a lot of scary and worrisome feelings in children. A loud rumble and a flash of light to accompany a bump in the night is a surefire way to send a child fleeing under their covers. Though thunderstorms may sound scary and intimidating, they’re actually quite helpful in warning us of the true dangers ahead.
In this story, Grandma Annie has learned Grandson Jimmy’s latest worry is the sound of thunder. The night before, he barely had any rest due to a thunderstorm in his town. Anytime that he heard the loud rumble, he and his trusty teddy bear, Theodore, bolted for a new place to hide away from the terrifying boom.
So, Grandma Annie to the rescue! With a perfect story to tell Jimmy that will help him overcome his fear, Grandma sets off to visit and tell him another of her bedtime story time remedies.
Grandma tells a tale of when Jimmy’s Grandpa was youngster in elementary school and getting ready to go on a school field day celebrating the end of the year and first day of summer.
The students can’t wait to participate in all the exciting games and activities planned for them. On arrival at the park, the field day adventures start and everyone has fun, without a care in the world. But, without warning, a fearsome thunderstorm sends students, teachers, and parent volunteers all fleeing for cover.
Frightened from the crack of thunder, a small group of students, panicky and not thinking clearly, seek shelter under a nearby tree. They face imminent danger as a result and unless their teacher can rally and usher them back to their school bus, who knows what will happen if lightning strikes that tree.
Through the telling of this story, Grandma Annie shows that thunder is nothing to fear and it’s a helpful noise and a sign that danger is near. She also compares thunder to other noises such as an alarm clock, a steaming tea kettle, a truck backing up and more. Plus, she teaches Jimmy a special trick to use thunder to determine when the next lightning strike might happen and even how far away it is.
Once again, Grandma Annie to the rescue and together, she shows her Grandson there’s nothing to be afraid of after all. Jimmy’s worry is solved, he becomes a “Worry-Solving SUPER STAR” and Grandma waits for the next worry to come along that she will help to solve.
