Have you ever jumped into a game without knowing the rules and lost badly? Or maybe you ate something that looked yummy but tasted terrible? Or perhaps you said yes to something without thinking and then regretted it?
What if I told you there’s a simple trick that can save you from making big mistakes and getting into trouble? It’s something smart people do before making any decision! Want to know what it is? Keep reading, because today you’re going to discover five amazing stories that will teach you this life-saving habit!
Look Before You Leap
Here’s the secret: Look before you leap!
But what does that mean? Let me explain it in a really simple way.
This saying means you should think carefully before doing something. Don’t rush into actions without understanding what might happen. Check the situation first, think about the results, and then decide!
Imagine you’re about to jump into a swimming pool. You should first check if there’s water in it, right? If you just jump without looking, you might get badly hurt! That’s what “look before you leap” means.
Think about these everyday examples:
- Before crossing the road, look left and right for cars. Don’t just run across!
- Before buying a toy, check if you have enough money and if it’s really good. Don’t waste your savings on something useless!
- Before making a promise, think if you can really keep it. Don’t promise what you can’t do!
- Before believing something someone tells you, check if it’s true. Don’t believe everything you hear!
So “look before you leap” means:
- Think before you act
- Consider the consequences of your actions
- Don’t be impulsive or hasty
- Gather information before deciding
- Use your brain, not just emotions
- Plan ahead instead of regretting later
Now let me share five wonderful stories that will show you exactly why thinking before acting is so important!
Story 1: The Fox and the Goat
A clever fox was walking near a well when he accidentally fell into it! Splash! The well was deep, and he couldn’t climb out. The walls were too slippery and high.
“Oh no! I’m stuck! How will I get out?” the fox worried. He tried jumping but kept falling back into the water.
Then a thirsty goat came to the well. He looked down and saw the fox. “Hey, Mr. Fox! What are you doing down there?” asked the goat.
The clever fox got an idea. “Oh, my dear friend! The water here is so sweet and cool! It’s the best water I’ve ever tasted! Come down and try it!” the fox lied.
The foolish goat didn’t think. He was very thirsty and the water sounded wonderful. Without checking or asking questions, he jumped into the well immediately! Splash!
The goat drank the water. Then he realized, “Wait! How will I get out now?” The walls were too slippery to climb!
The fox quickly jumped on the goat’s back, then onto his horns, and leaped out of the well! “Thanks for the help, my foolish friend!” he said and ran away laughing.
The poor goat was stuck in the well crying. He learned a painful lesson about not thinking before acting.
Lesson: Don’t make decisions in a hurry. Think about consequences before acting. If something sounds too good to be true, investigate first. Always look before you leap!
Story 2: The Greedy Dog
A hungry dog found a big, juicy bone. “Wow! This is my lucky day!” he thought happily and ran home with it in his mouth.
On the way, he had to cross a small bridge over a stream. As he walked on the bridge, he looked down into the clear water.
He saw his own reflection but didn’t realize it was himself! He thought it was another dog with a bone that looked even bigger than his!
The greedy dog thought, “Look! That dog has an even bigger bone! I want that bone too! I want both bones for myself!”
Without thinking about what might happen, he opened his mouth to bark at the reflection and snatch its bone. “WOOF!”
But the moment he opened his mouth, his own bone fell into the water! Splash! It sank deep and was gone forever.
The dog stood there shocked and sad. The reflection disappeared too. He realized there was no other dog—it was just his reflection! His greed and not thinking properly made him lose the bone he already had.
He went home hungry and miserable, regretting his hasty decision. If only he had thought for one moment before acting!
Lesson: Don’t be greedy and impulsive. Think carefully before acting on emotions. Sometimes trying to get more makes you lose what you already have. Always think about what you might lose!
Also Read: Practice Makes Perfect Stories For Kids With Moral
Story 3: The Monkey and the Peas
A monkey stole a handful of peas from a farmer’s field. He was very happy and sat on a tree branch to eat them.
As he started eating, one pea slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. The monkey looked down and saw it rolling away.
“Oh no! My pea!” the monkey panicked. Without thinking, he threw away all the peas he was holding and jumped down to catch that single pea!
But when he landed on the ground, he couldn’t find that one pea. It had rolled into the bushes and disappeared. And all the other peas he had thrown? Birds had eaten them all!
Now the monkey had nothing! He sat there hungry and upset. He had a whole handful of peas but lost everything because he didn’t think before reacting. He acted impulsively to save one pea and lost them all.
An old owl who saw this shook her head and said, “Foolish monkey! You should have thought before acting. One pea wasn’t worth losing everything!”
The monkey sadly agreed. He learned that rushing to fix small problems without thinking can create bigger problems.
Lesson: Don’t overreact to small losses. Think about the bigger picture before acting. Sometimes trying to fix a small problem without thinking creates a much bigger problem. Stay calm and think first!
Story 4: Ravi’s Online Purchase
Twelve-year-old Ravi was browsing the internet when he saw an advertisement. “AMAZING SMARTPHONE! LATEST MODEL! ONLY 500 RUPEES! LIMITED TIME OFFER!”
Ravi got super excited! “Wow! This phone costs 20,000 rupees in shops but it’s only 500 here! This is an incredible deal! I must buy it now before it’s gone!”
He had saved 1,000 rupees from birthday gifts. Without asking his parents or thinking carefully, he quickly entered his details and ordered the phone immediately.
He was so happy! “I’m so smart! I got such a great deal!” he thought proudly.
Two weeks later, a package arrived. Ravi opened it excitedly but his face fell. Inside was a tiny toy phone made of cheap plastic! It wasn’t a real smartphone at all!
Ravi cried. He had lost 500 rupees! He showed it to his father, who explained, “Son, this was a scam. Real smartphones can’t cost only 500 rupees. If something looks too good to be true, it usually is. You should have checked reviews, asked me, or researched the website before buying.”
Ravi felt terrible. Half his savings were wasted because he didn’t think before acting. He learned an expensive lesson about looking before leaping into decisions.
Lesson: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always research and ask advice before spending money. Don’t make hasty decisions based on excitement. Think, verify, then act!
Story 5: The Swimming Pool Accident
It was Aman’s friend’s birthday party at a fancy hotel with a big swimming pool. All the children were excited and playing around the pool.
Aman saw his friends jumping into the pool and having fun. “This looks amazing! I want to jump in too!” he thought.
His mother said, “Aman, can you swim? Do you know how deep the pool is? Should we ask first?”
But Aman didn’t listen. He saw everyone else jumping, so he thought it must be safe. “Mom, don’t worry! Everyone is doing it!” He ran toward the pool to jump in.
But he didn’t notice the warning sign that said “DEEP END – 12 FEET.” He also didn’t know that his friends were jumping in the shallow end, which was only 4 feet deep.
Aman jumped into the deep end! Splash! He went deep underwater and panicked because he didn’t know how to swim! He struggled and started drowning!
Luckily, a lifeguard saw him and quickly jumped in to save him. Aman was pulled out, coughing and crying. He was safe but very scared.
The lifeguard said, “Always check the depth before jumping into any pool. Always know if you can swim. Looking before leaping could save your life!”
Aman learned a very important lesson that day. Not thinking before acting could have cost him his life!
Lesson: Safety is most important. Don’t copy others without thinking. Check for dangers before taking action. Your life is precious—always think carefully before doing anything risky!
What We Learned Today
Now you understand why we must always look before we leap!
Let’s remember what these stories taught us:
The fox and the goat showed us not to believe everything we hear and to think about consequences before jumping into situations.
The greedy dog taught us that acting on greed and impulse without thinking makes us lose what we already have.
The monkey and the peas proved that overreacting to small problems without thinking creates bigger losses.
Ravi’s online purchase reminded us to research and verify before making decisions, especially about money.
The swimming pool accident demonstrated that not checking for dangers before acting can risk our safety and even our lives.
Why This Lesson is Important
When you think before acting:
- You avoid dangerous situations
- You make better decisions
- You don’t waste money on wrong things
- You stay safe from scams and tricks
- You don’t regret your choices later
- You become known as a smart, careful person
- You save yourself from embarrassment and trouble
When you act without thinking:
- You might get hurt physically
- You could lose money or valuable things
- You might hurt other people’s feelings
- You create problems for yourself
- People think you’re careless and foolish
- You make mistakes you’ll regret
- You have to face bad consequences
Remember: Taking five minutes to think can save you from years of regret! Your brain is your best tool—use it before every action!
Your Turn Now!
Here’s what you can practice starting today:
- Before crossing the road, stop and look both ways
- Before spending money, ask yourself if you really need it
- Before saying yes to something, think if you can actually do it
- Before believing news or rumors, check if they’re true
- Before trying something risky, ask adults or check if it’s safe
- Before getting angry and reacting, count to ten and think calmly
Make this your daily habit: “Stop, Think, Then Act!”
The Three-Question Rule
Before doing anything important, ask yourself these three questions:
- What could go wrong? – Think about possible dangers or problems
- What will happen after? – Think about consequences
- Is there a better way? – Think about alternative options
If you can answer these three questions, you’re thinking before leaping! This simple habit will save you from so many troubles!
A Special Promise
Make this promise to yourself today:
“I will use my brain before taking action. I will not act on impulse. I will think about what might happen. I will ask for advice when unsure. I will always look before I leap!”
Always remember: Look before you leap! Think before you act! Check before you decide! A wise person thinks first, a foolish person regrets later!
Now you know this life-saving lesson! Share these stories with your friends and family. Help them understand that taking a moment to think before acting is the smartest thing anyone can do!
The End