Little Bebe was in one of her moodiest states ever. Her tiny face was red with frustration, her eyes wide, and her tail flicking side to side in irritation. The reason? Mom had taken away the half-eaten mango Bebe had been licking for an hour. It was dirty, squashed, and clearly not safe—but Bebe didn’t care. She wanted it back.
With a loud squeal, Bebe stomped her little feet on the wooden floor and jumped toward her mother. She didn’t hit or bite. Instead, she did something that surprised everyone watching—she leaped up and tightly hugged her mother’s leg, as if trying to glue herself there.
Mom stood still, looking down at her fussy little girl clinging with both arms and legs wrapped around like a fuzzy koala. Bebe pressed her face against mom’s knee, letting out long, dramatic cries. She wasn’t just angry—she was desperate to be understood.
The caretakers nearby chuckled softly. “She’s not letting go anytime soon,” one of them whispered.
Mom reached down and gently stroked Bebe’s back. At first, Bebe squirmed, but slowly her cries turned into little sniffles. Her grip loosened just a little, and she peeked up with wet eyes. Mom nuzzled her gently, showing calm affection without giving in to the tantrum.
Finally, mom crouched down, letting Bebe sit in her lap. The little monkey curled into a ball, still sniffling but clearly comforted. She didn’t get the mango back—but she got something better: her mother’s warmth.
It was a strong reminder that sometimes, even in anger, all a baby wants is to feel close to mom.
