Grown Up Day Apple Tree House

# No matter if you're young or old

# With good friends you'll never be alone

# Shining light on our joyful world

# Ain't nothing going to beat that place

# We call home

# First days, new days

# Are the very best days

# New things to discover

# New people to meet

# Fun days always

# Playing with your friend days

# Life is for the living down at Apple Tree House. #

-Hi.

-Good morning.

How are you this bright and beautiful day?

Good, thanks. Where's Mum and Dad?

Your mum's just gone to the supermarket and your dad's at work.

Sit yourself down and I'll get you your cereal.

I don't want it, it's for babies.

What?

I can't see an age limit on the box.

I thought it was your favourite.

Not any more, I want something else today.

OK. What would you like?

-What did Dad have?

-Erm...

Beans and toast.

-There's some left, would you like some?

-Yes, please.

You know, it's such a lovely day,

I thought we could go to the play area after breakfast.

No, thank you.

Well, how about a treasure trail in the park?

No, it's OK.

Maybe you're tired.

We can stay at home and read your new book from the library.

I just want to do grown-up stuff today.

Hm. What kind of grown-up stuff?

You know, like my dad does.

It must be amazing working at the zoo like my dad.

My dear man, I must congratulate you on your splendid work at the zoo.

I want to give you a very special, very grown-up new job.

From now on you will be our resident super-archaeological,

palaeological universal explorer.

Where's Mr Carrot?

-Has he fallen down by the side of your bed again?

-Don't know.

I can go fish him out if you can't reach.

I don't care where Mr Carrot is.

-You don't care?

-No.

That's not like you.

Please find me some grown-up things to do today.

What kind of grown-up things?

I want to have proper grown-up adventures.

Grown-up activities.

-Yes, please.

-I wonder what they can be.

Do you think I'm a good example of a grown-up?

You're one of the best.

Great. So let's give you one of my tasks.

-Really?

-You can start with the super-duper task that I take

particular pride in.

Peeling potatoes.

Oh.

Does my dad ever peel potatoes?

Your dad has been known to peel vegetables from time to time.

OK, I'll give it a try.

I knew you'd be pleased.

Well done on accepting your new mission.

Now, take this gadget, it will help you on your adventures.

And you'll also need this marvellous universally compatible jet pack.

Thanks, big zoo boss.

RUMBLING

Oh, no! Look out!

Wow, amazing.

Hurrah!

How are you getting on with peeling that potato, Mali?

-Done it.

-Marvellous.

Time to do the rest.

And throw in some carrots, too.

What?

How did you enjoy that grown-up activity, Mali?

Didn't like it, Gran. Can you find me something else to do?

Oh. Well, maybe we could do something outside.

-Yeah, outside!

-Come on.

Cleaning the front room window.

-What?

-Your dad's been meaning to clean out here for ages.

Wouldn't it be great if you did it and surprised him?

-What do you think?

-Uh, OK, then.

HE SIGHS

Cleaning the windows.

This is not what I expected to do on a grown-up day.

I can't believe Gran thinks I'll like this.

Urgh, that's one messy spaceship!

Three, two, one,

liftoff.

This window is gleaming, Mali.

Well done.

Thanks, Gran.

As you've done the first window so well, you can clean the rest.

Come to think of it, the front door could do with your magic touch, too.

I think we've found a grown-up task that you enjoy now.

-Hello, Kobi.

-Hey, guys, how you doing?

-Good.

-You're doing a great job on those windows.

And he seems to be enjoying it, too.

Well, maybe next week you can help me

with my monthly clean of the estate.

I scrub everything from top to bottom until it's gleaming.

No, it's OK.

Oh, well.

Come round and play with Sam after?

Nah, I'm busy.

Oh, well, I... I'd better let you get on with it then.

-See you later.

-Bye.

Oh, you've done such a good job of the cleaning.

Did you have fun?

-Not really.

-Oh.

Well, maybe you'll prefer the next activity I have in mind.

We are going on a trip.

-Are we going to see the Reds play football?

-No.

Taking the city bus to the park?

No, something much more grown-up than that.

-Wow!

-We are going to the launderette.

Ta-da.

The washing machine's broken again,

and as we're having such a grown-up day,

we can do the laundry together.

OK.

This grown-up day's not what I expected.

I can't believe Grandma thinks doing the laundry's fun.

I'm sure astronauts don't have to deal with smelly socks.

Mali. Mali!

-Mali.

-Hm?

-It's time to take the washing home.

-OK.

Come on.

I've got it...

Gran, I don't like doing the laundry either.

Really?

Sorry about that.

Well, maybe it's not all fun and games to be a grown-up.

There are chores to do and errands to run.

And none of the grown-ups I know have much time to play with toys.

Why don't you take a break?

-OK.

-And I'll put these clothes away.

Mali, can you come into your room, please?

Look who I found.

He was stuffed in a shoe at the back of the wardrobe.

Any idea how he got there?

Well, I didn't want to play with him any more.

Does this have something to do with you wanting to be more grown-up?

But you love Mr Carrot.

Only yesterday you were so happy to take him to school.

Ah. Mr Carrot went to school.

-What happened?

-Well...

You know I took Mr Carrot with me?

Nobody said anything at school.

I thought it was lots of fun.

But when we came home...

Jo started teasing me and calling me names.

Na-na-na-na-na. You're a baby!

So, Jo teased you?

And said you were babyish for bringing Mr Carrot to school?

Yes, it made me very sad.

Well, it was wrong of Jo to tease.

Maybe she doesn't understand how important Mr Carrot is to you.

You could try and explain that to her.

Hm... OK.

Plus, you don't need to pretend something isn't important to you

when it is.

I thought grown-up stuff would be fun, but it really wasn't.

Well, maybe you're not quite ready to be a grown-up yet.

I missed Mr Carrot.

You do so many chores, I'm going to help you out more now.

That would be wonderful.

But first, can we go out and play?

Ha-ha! Of course we can.

Look, there's Jo.

She looks upset.

Why don't you go and ask her what the matter is?

-I don't think I should.

-Go on.

-Hey, Jo, what's the matter?

My ball is stuck up in the tree.

That's your favourite, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Maybe we can get it down.

How? It's so high up.

OK. Let's get solving.

Mali, what do you think a grown-up might do in a situation like this?

A super-archaeological palaeological universal explorer

would just zoom up to the top of the tree

with his jet pack.

And throw the ball out of the branches.

But I'm just a boy so I can't do that.

But I think I know what might help.

Come on. We'll be back soon, Jo.

Kobi, Kobi, it's Mali and Grandma Zainab.

-Come in.

-Can we borrow your apple tree stick?

Yes... Oh, no, that's definitely a job for Kobi. We'll get that sorted.

Right then. Just one second.

Thank you.

Right. There we go.

-Got it.

-There we are, Jo.

My ball! Thanks, Kobi.

It was Mali that thought of using the apple shaking stick.

-Thanks, Mali.

-It's OK, Jo.

-I'm sorry I teased you about your toy the other day.

-It's OK.

Mr Carrot's my favourite toy in the whole world.

-Just like my ball. Want to play?

-Yeah, come with me.

Hang on, wait for me. Hold that, Grandma Zainab.

-SAM:

-Well done, Mali, it's great you helped Jo to get her ball back.

-Thanks. I'm just happy she learned it was wrong to tease.

-That's good.

-But did you learn anything?

-Yeah!

I'm never going to hide Mr Carrot again.

-Really?

-And do you know what else?

-What?

-It's not always fun being a grown-up.

I'm not in a hurry to be big any more.

THEY LAUGH

-You're a good friend, Mali.

-And you're a great friend, Sam.