The morning sun bathed the yard in a golden glow as tiny Minea sat on the ground, her chubby little legs stretched out in front of her. Her dad crouched nearby, clapping his hands with encouragement.
“Come on, Minea! A princess like you must learn to walk with grace!” he said with a smile.
Minea, however, had her own ideas. She pouted, crossing her arms stubbornly. Walking on two legs was too much work! She was perfectly happy crawling or being carried everywhere. She looked up at Dad with big, dramatic eyes, silently begging him to scoop her up.
But Dad wasn’t giving in. “No, no, little princess. Today, you must walk,” he insisted.
He held out his hands, signaling for her to stand. Minea groaned but eventually placed her tiny hands in his, wobbling as she got up on two feet. She took one shaky step, then another, before suddenly plopping down on her bottom with a loud thud.
Instead of trying again, Minea threw her head back in frustration. “Ehhhhh!” she whined, kicking her little feet.
Dad chuckled. “Princesses don’t throw tantrums!” He picked her up, balanced her on her feet again, and held her tiny hands. “Try again. Nice and slow.”
Minea sighed but obeyed, carefully taking one step, then another. This time, she managed three whole steps before losing her balance. Dad caught her just in time, lifting her into the air with a proud smile.
“That’s my princess!” he cheered.
Minea giggled, feeling proud of herself. Maybe walking like a princess wasn’t so bad after all—especially when Dad was there to catch her every time she stumbled.
