It was a peaceful afternoon in the house—until a sudden high-pitched scream pierced the air. Baby monkey Yuri had burst into loud cries out of nowhere, jumping up and down in the middle of the living room like something terrible had happened.
Mom rushed in, eyes wide. “What happened?! Did you get hurt?”
But Yuri wasn’t hurt. She wasn’t even hungry. She just stared at Mom with her dramatic eyes, huffing and puffing, arms flailing like the world had ended.
“Yuri!” Mom said firmly, pointing her finger. “Why are you screaming like that? There’s no reason!”
Yuri stopped mid-yell, blinked twice, and froze. She had no idea why she started crying. Maybe it was boredom. Maybe it was because the toy banana rolled under the couch. Or maybe… she just wanted attention.
Still holding her hand out dramatically, Yuri slowly walked toward Mom, now giving her the classic pouty face—big eyes, lowered head, little sniffs, as if trying to say, “Sorry, but I had feelings!”
Mom crouched down and looked her in the eye. “Yuri, baby, you can’t just scream for nothing. It scares everyone. Use your quiet voice, okay?”
Yuri nodded slowly, then climbed into Mom’s arms for a cuddle.
She nestled against Mom’s chest with a little sigh, her tantrum completely forgotten. Moments later, she giggled as Mom tickled her belly, all sadness wiped away.
Sometimes baby monkeys cry just to feel heard. And lucky for Yuri, her mom always listens—even if it means a finger-point first.
