Stan & Jan Berenstain. Published by Random House. ISBN: 9780394856407. Age 4-8 years. 32 pages. 201mm X 201mm (7.9in X 7.9in). Paperback. 1983.

Sister Bear and Brother Bear were kicking a soccer ball in the living room. Each tried to show how skillful he or she was. Brother dribbled the ball a bit and then gave the ball a sharp kick.

However, Sister managed to block the ball with her knee. The ball bounced around the room and knocked down Mama's favourite lamp. Crash! At the same time, Mama was returning from the marketplace! How are the siblings going to get out of this?

As with most children, Sister and Brother Bear began to lie. First, it was a bird. Then, a big purple bird with yellow feet. Next, it has green wing tips. And finally, it has red feathers sticking out of its head.

So, you see, the lie got bigger and bigger. When Papa came home shortly, the little bears had to tell the same lie again. But this time, they could not remember the details!

Sound familiar? Well, Mama and Papa had it easy because the sad look on Mama's face made the children feel guilty. They owned up right after that. Although this is too idealistic, nevertheless the story sends powerful messages to your child, such as 'trust is one thing you can't put back together once it is broken'.

Stan & Jan Berenstain. Published by Random House. ISBN: 9780394873343. Age 4-8 years. 32 pages. 201mm X 201mm (7.9in X 7.9in). Paperback. 1985.

Sister Bear is free and easy with strangers. She talks to everyone! Brother Bear is worried and tells her not to do that? Sister asks, "What is so dangerous about strangers? What can happen?"

Papa Bear shows Sister the headlines in the newspaper, with news on missing cub, etc. That night, Sister has a hard time falling asleep. The next day, she begins to look at things differently. Everything seems a little strange and nasty.

The book deals adequately with the issue. First, the basic rules were laid - never talk to a stranger, never take presents from a stranger and never go anywhere with a stranger.

Then, the reasons behind these rules were given. Of course, the difficult part is balancing how much to tell your child. For Sister Bear, the headlines in the newspaper were enough to turn her into a scared and timid child.

So, your child needs to understand that there are only a few bad apples. He has to be careful, just in case.

Finally, your child needs to be reminded every now and then, just like Brother Bear. Despite being cautious most of the time, he nearly followed a stranger in his car because the stranger has a big orange and green radio-controlled plane.

Stan & Jan Berenstain. Published by Random House. ISBN: 9780394856392. Age 4-8 years. 32 pages. 201mm X 201mm (7.9in X 7.9in). Paperback. 1983.

The Bears' tree house is neat and clean but there is a room that is a big mess!

There is the half-done jigsaw puzzle gathering dust, dinosaur models collecting cobwebs and stuff animals everywhere. The storage cupboard is also a mess.

Brother Bear and Sister Bear do try to clean up sometimes, but usually ended up engaging in an argument over clean-up chores. One day, Mama storms into the room with a big box. She declares that she is going to get rid of junks. Brother and Sister are horrified! Their toys are not junks! And so the screaming and yelling begin.

Papa got an idea. The room needs a little organization. The toys are arranged in boxes and hung on pegs. Every box is clearly labeled. Those that are crumbling and falling apart are thrown away. When they are done, the room looks like a new room!

A typical scene in most homes with children. There are only so many times that you can ask them to clean-up their room. Soon, you will find yourself taking over the chores as it saves time and your energy, which should not be the way.

First, ensure that the room has got adequate storage space which your children can reach. With the right 'infrastructure', there is no more excuse for not cleaning up. You could give warning that things not stored away will be thrown away. Chances are your children will not take you seriously. So, carry out the threat to make it effective. Well, you could choose a not-so-precious toy.