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Ruby and the Well - I Wish She Would Trust Me (S1E4)
Trust is brought into question when Ruby wonders if she can tell her dad about the magical well. Daniel meets a military friend of his father's who sheds some light on the past.
| Runtime (min) | 44 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2022-02-27 |
| Genres | Family, Sci-Fi & Fantasy |
| TV Rating | TV-G |
| Network(s) | Family Channel, BYU Television |
Storyline
Ruby faces a significant dilemma as the weight of keeping the magical well a secret begins to press on her conscience. She wrestles with whether to confide in her father about the well's extraordinary powers, knowing that honesty is important but also fearing the consequences of revealing such an impossible truth. The episode explores the tension between Ruby's desire to be open with her dad and her uncertainty about how he would react to learning about the well's magic.
Meanwhile, Daniel encounters a former military colleague of his late father's, a meeting that opens a window into his family's past. Through their conversation, Daniel gains new insights and perspectives about his father that he hadn't known before. This subplot runs parallel to Ruby's trust struggles, as both young people navigate questions about what they know, what they've been told, and what secrets mean within families. The episode weaves together these two storylines to examine how trust operates across generations and relationships.
What kids learn
This episode offers children valuable lessons about the complexity of honesty and trust within family relationships. Ruby's struggle demonstrates that keeping secrets isn't always simple or black-and-white—sometimes we withhold information because we're uncertain about consequences, not because we want to deceive. Young viewers learn that it's natural to feel conflicted about sharing difficult truths, especially when we're unsure how others will respond or when the information seems too extraordinary to believe.
Daniel's storyline teaches children that learning about family history can provide important context for understanding the present. His conversation with his father's military friend shows that talking to people who knew our loved ones can reveal new dimensions of their character and experiences. This reinforces the value of asking questions and staying curious about family stories.
The episode also explores how trust is built and maintained through communication. Children see that wrestling with questions of honesty is a sign of caring about relationships, not a character flaw. Both Ruby and Daniel model thoughtful consideration of others' feelings while trying to navigate their own needs for truth and understanding.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Should I talk to my child about when it's okay to keep secrets from parents? | This episode provides a good springboard for discussing the difference between harmful secrets and privacy. You can explain that while Ruby's magical well is a fantasy scenario, children should always tell trusted adults about anything that makes them uncomfortable or unsafe. Help your child understand that some surprises (like birthday presents) are fine to keep temporarily, but they should never feel burdened by secrets that involve their safety or wellbeing. |
| How does Ruby's dilemma about the well get resolved in this episode? | The episode focuses on Ruby's internal struggle with the decision rather than providing a definitive resolution. She weighs the pros and cons of telling her father throughout the story, which allows young viewers to think through the complexity of the situation alongside her. This open-ended approach encourages children to consider multiple perspectives and understand that some decisions require careful thought rather than immediate action. |
| Is the military content in Daniel's storyline appropriate for younger children? | Daniel's meeting with his father's military friend is presented in a gentle, age-appropriate manner that focuses on personal memories and character rather than combat or violence. The conversation centers on helping Daniel understand more about who his father was as a person. The military context serves as background for a story about family connection and learning about loved ones, making it suitable for the show's target audience. |
| What does this episode teach about trust between parents and children? | The episode demonstrates that trust involves both honesty and understanding context. Ruby's hesitation to tell her dad about the well isn't about distrust but about uncertainty over how to communicate something extraordinary. This nuanced portrayal helps children understand that trust is complex and that sometimes we need time to figure out the right way to share important information with people we love and respect. |
| Does Daniel learn anything troubling about his father that might upset sensitive viewers? | The information Daniel receives about his father appears to be positive and illuminating rather than distressing. The military friend shares memories that help Daniel see new aspects of his father's character and experiences. This storyline is designed to show how conversations with people from our family's past can enrich our understanding, providing comfort and connection rather than creating upset or confusion for young viewers. |
Writing
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Directing
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| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Upon moving to a new town with her dad, Ruby discovers a magic well that shows her the wish of a woman in town. Ruby, with the help of her new friends Sam and Mina, works to help reunite the woman's family. |
| 1 | 2 | Ruby, Sam, and Mina fulfill the wish of the town librarian, leading them on a treasure hunt to uncover a centuries-old mystery and Emerald’s best-kept secret. Meanwhile, Daniel attempts to fix his old home with help from a new friend. |
| 1 | 3 | Ruby, Sam, and Mina try to fulfill the wish of a local family to save a wedding, and in the process, they learn not to judge a book by its cover. Daniel discovers more revelations about Old Tom's property. |
| 1 | 4 | Trust is brought into question when Ruby wonders if she can tell her dad about the magical well. Daniel meets a military friend of his father's who sheds some light on the past. |
| 1 | 5 | Ruby, Sam, and Mina help a science camp teacher get the credit she deserves. Daniel investigates Ruby’s good deeds around town. |
| 1 | 6 | Ruby, Sam, and Mina learn the importance of telling the truth when they bring a long-kept secret to light. Meanwhile, Daniel and Paula try to win over a developer interested in Emerald who could potentially put the town back in business. |
| 1 | 7 | The Emerald Apple Festival is back and reveals a new, unusual wish for Ruby to fulfill. Daniel and Paula revive the festival’s apple cart race and a longstanding tradition of competition between the Prices and the O’Reillys. |
| 1 | 8 | Ruby wrestles with how to solve a wish that hits close to home, involving Sam's desire to meet his biological family. Ruby’s maternal grandparents come to town for a visit. |
| 1 | 9 | Development endangers Ruby's wishing well, while Daniel makes a wish of his own. Ruby and Sam learn about the consequences of seeking revenge when they discover a wish regarding two feuding actors. |
| 1 | 10 | Ruby discovers a wish from beyond the grave that needs to be fulfilled. Daniel fights for the preservation of the wishing well, but the development company has other ideas. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | After a wishless winter, Ruby struggles to save the well while granting the wish of an enemy of the town. Are these two tricky missions somehow intertwined? Meanwhile, Daniel and Paula plan to delay a construction crew poised to demolish the well. |
| 2 | 2 | Ruby’s latest wisher hopes to find someone, but figuring out who turns out to be the hardest part of the wish. Meanwhile, Daniel is bombarded by calls from his father who wants Daniel and Ruby to give up the orchard and leave Emerald for good. |
| 2 | 3 | As Ruby and her friends tackle a new wish, they run into a strange new problem: the wish appears to be granting itself. Meanwhile, Ruby worries her dad is lonely in Emerald and embarks on a mission to find him some new friends. |
| 2 | 4 | Ruby receives a musical wish that involves a local celebrity and a broken friendship, while Daniel and Paula organize a benefit concert. |
| 2 | 5 | As Ruby embarks on her newest wish, she rekindles the search for a long-missing Emerald resident. Meanwhile, Daniel’s efforts to bring back the O’Reilly apple tree uncover a brand new mystery. |
| 2 | 6 | After the well gives Ruby clues but no wish, Ruby must figure out what that means. Only then can she help a wisher enjoy their wish to travel. Meanwhile, Daniel’s efforts to solve a mystery set off a misunderstanding among Emerald’s residents. |
| 2 | 7 | Ruby and her friends struggle to grant the wish of a very intimidating and mysterious wisher. Meanwhile, Ruby and Daniel are both unsure how to handle an important date on the calendar: what would’ve been Summer’s birthday. |
| 2 | 8 | Ruby and her friends embark on a thrilling and unexpected adventure close to home as they try to recover something precious lost by a wisher. Meanwhile, Ava and Daniel bond over raising teenage daughters. |
| 2 | 9 | A confusing wish challenges Ruby with brokering peace after a longstanding family feud. Meanwhile, Daniel and Sam take a journey through the orchard and discover more about Ruby’s well-keeping ancestors. |
| 2 | 10 | Ruby receives her toughest wish yet from someone who knows all about the well’s magic. If the wisher is who she thinks it is, granting this wish could mean the end of the wishing well itself. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | A famous bank robbery in Emerald's past becomes the focus of Ruby's latest wish, but the wisher is the last person she would've suspected. After a lifetime of keeping a crushing secret, the wisher worries the past is about to catch up with them. |
| 3 | 2 | A wish expressed in barks instead of words leads Ruby to help a rural veterinarian struggling with a lot more than panicky pets. But she soon realizes the monster he's facing is scarier than she thought. |
| 3 | 3 | The well gives Ruby a wish from beyond the grave from Viole O’Reilly, the Victorian well keeper from her previous visions. This wish is part of All Souls Day, the Irish day of the dead, which means Ruby only has until midnight tomorrow to grant it. |
| 3 | 4 | Sam and his mom find themselves on opposite sides of a hot-button community issue. Meanwhile, Ruby receives a wish so vague that it's going to take all her and Mina's legwork even to make a dent in it. |
| 3 | 5 | After missing an important family event, Ruby is racked with guilt. Worse, she receives a wish too awful to grant! Mina and Sam are ready to take over for her and manage to supply Ruby and her dad with a much-needed bonding opportunity. |
| 3 | 6 | Ruby and Sam join forces to help someone who wants to “feel love again”. But after the wisher is discovered, a misunderstanding leads to a possibly disastrous revelation. Now, they must figure out what the wish really means before it’s too late. |
| 3 | 7 | Ruby believes that a wisher wants to get rid of rivals for Daniel's affections– including her mom's memory. Given the growing importance of family in Ruby’s life, that is a step too far! That is unless Ruby is wrong about the intent of the wish. |
| 3 | 8 | After struggling to balance wish granting with regular teen life, Ruby’s now ready to rock her next challenge. But when she gets the worst possible wish, will she find a way out? Meanwhile, Seb is onto Mina and the secret she’s keeping from him. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | Ruby returns to Emerald from Ireland with fresh concerns about keeping the well alive. She receives three different visions of wishes to fulfill with the help of Mina and Sam. Meanwhile, Dan and Leah have an awkward reunion--and a new secret. |
| 4 | 2 | Ruby has her hands full with a particularly ambitious wish from powerhouse realtor Amanda "The Wolf" Wilczek, which includes working with the most haunted house in Emerald. Meanwhile, Dan helps out the local firehouse, sparking a dream of his own. |
| 4 | 3 | Ruby and her friends search for a wisher who wants to be a kid again. When they find that it's another kid, they dig deep to find an extra special answer. Dan starts his journey as a probationary volunteer fireman with an unlucky Emerald resident. |
| 4 | 4 | Ruby's fear of losing the well intensifies when she sees a vision of video footage at the well. She, Mina, and Sam launch an investigation into vintage items to find the videographer. Meanwhile, Dan helps Mrs. Martin look for a newer, safer home. |
| 4 | 5 | Ruby receives a garbled clue from the well that forces her, Mina, and Sam to think in a different direction. Dan runs interference between Amanda and her sudden interest in the magical well. |
| 4 | 6 | With more scrutiny than ever before, Ruby uses her wish to keep the well healthy and secret. Meanwhile, Emerald's Thanksgiving dinner could be ruined if the wish isn't fulfilled in time. Dan and Brea work together to get Wally to join the fun. |
| 4 | 7 | The well's clues are the most garbled and blurry yet. Ruby worries that she will lose the well forever. She, Mina, and Sam still work to fulfill the wish and get involved in the world of football. Dan continues to cope with the idea of Ruby leaving. |
| 4 | 8 | Ruby hopes that her wish is the next to come out of the well--but is shocked when it's Dan's that comes next. Time is running out for the well as Mrs. Rivers-Snyder asks more questions. A surprise visitor provides answers about the failing well. |
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