Manu And His Father

This is a short story about a boy who helps his father become healthy.

Manu’s dad did not eat healthy food. Instead, he loved junk food. To make things worse, he usually did not do any physical activity at all. His job required him to sit at a computer all day long. When he got home every day, he would sit on the couch, watch TV, drink soda, and eat chips. Due to his bad habits, Manu’s dad was very unhealthy. He did not feel like he needed to do anything about it because he had been that way for most of his life.

One fine day, Manu’s dad felt sick and went to the doctor. Manu accompanied his father to the doctor so he would not be alone. The doctor told him that he felt sick because he was not eating proper food and getting enough exercise. “But doctor, I have been like this all my life; there’s nothing wrong with it!” exclaimed Manu’s dad.

“That is not true. When a person eats unhealthy food and does not exercise, the body does not receive the nutrients or the activity it needs to keep functioning properly. It is not good, so I recommend diet and exercise,” said the doctor. Very reluctantly, Manu’s father agreed to change his habits.

Manu’s dad had never eaten healthily, but Manu always did. Manu liked vegetables and a balanced diet. So from that day, Manu helped to prepare delicious and healthy meals for his father. So yummy was Manu’s food that even his dad said “This tastes great!”

However, fixing his diet was only one part of the doctor’s recommendation. Manu’s dad was not used to physical activity either. Since he was not good at sports, he never tried to exercise. However, Manu knew that physical activity was not just about playing sports. Manu knew that walking, climbing mountains, or swimming were also good ways to exercise. So he accompanied his dad on long walks. On weekends they went to the mountain or the forest and walked for hours on end, looking at trees and animals while they talked. During those walks, Manu and his dad talked a lot about many things! Manu told his dad that he liked reading a lot. He told him about the books he had read and how happy he felt after finishing them. In addition, Manu told his father that, when he grew up, he wanted to write books to help people lead healthy lives. Manu’s dad explained to his son all about his job. Manu learned that his father was responsible for many complicated things within a company, which was why he was always in front of a computer.

Manu was very supportive when his dad started a healthy lifestyle. He endeavoured to accompany him on walks and ensure that his father did not cheat on his diet. The next time they visited his doctor, Manu’s dad was much fitter, healthier, and stronger.

In fact, he felt very good about himself, and he was full of energy. It was a surprising change, so dramatic that even the doctor asked Manu’s father, “How did you improve your health so quickly? You have made an incredible transformation. I think you will not feel sick or tired as often as you used to.”

“I did it thanks to my son. My son supported me, helped me, and accompanied me on my journey. Thanks to him, I was able to start having a healthy life. He is a good boy!” said Manu’s father proudly.

Manu was very proud of himself for helping his dad achieve something as important as living a healthy life. When you do something with love, it always has a reward. In this case, Manu had done a good thing for a loved one, which was the best reward of all!