It was a late afternoon, and baby monkey Tauch had been restless since his nap ended. His tiny stomach grumbled, and all he could think about was his favorite jelly snack. His mom, however, had other plans before snack time—she needed to change his diaper. As soon as she picked him up and placed him on the changing mat, Tauch’s face twisted into a frown, his lips quivering as if preparing for battle.
The moment his mom started removing his diaper, Tauch let out a loud, dramatic wail. His small body began shaking in protest, making it clear he wasn’t interested in anything but eating. He kicked his legs and twisted his tiny body, trying to escape her grasp as though the very act of diaper-changing was the greatest injustice. His mom gently held him in place, trying to soothe him with soft words, but Tauch was not in the mood to be calmed.
“Noooo! Jelly!” he seemed to cry out, though his words were mixed with sobs and moans. He squirmed even more, refusing to lie still. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and his little hands waved in the air, desperate to get out of his mom’s hold and head straight for the snack jar. His whole body trembled, and the room echoed with his cries, louder and louder as if each second without his jelly was pure agony.
Despite the chaos, his mom remained patient. She quickly finished cleaning and putting on a fresh diaper, knowing full well that Tauch’s hunger was the cause of his outrageous behavior. But Tauch wasn’t done protesting. Even with the clean diaper on, he continued to cry as if he had just been through the hardest ordeal of his life. He shook his head side to side, his tiny fists balled up in frustration.
“Tauch, be patient, we’re almost done,” his mom said soothingly, but it fell on deaf ears.
Ignoring her words entirely, Tauch’s little body shook even harder, his cries becoming more desperate as his eyes darted toward the kitchen, where he knew the jelly snacks were kept. His belly was leading the rebellion, and he had no time to respect any of his mom’s rules or routines.
Finally, his mom picked him up and carried him toward the kitchen. Tauch, sensing he was getting closer to what he wanted, quieted down just a bit, though his whimpering continued. He clung to his mom, burying his face in her shoulder, but still, his body shook with impatient energy. He sniffled, wiping his tiny nose with the back of his hand while keeping his eyes fixed on the countertop where his jelly treat awaited.
His mom reached up to grab the jar, and in an instant, Tauch’s entire demeanor changed. His hands immediately reached out, his face lighting up with anticipation. As soon as she opened the jar and handed him the jelly, his hands worked fast, stuffing the sweet treat into his mouth. He chewed greedily, barely giving himself time to breathe, as if afraid someone might take it away.
But even as he ate, Tauch’s little body continued to tremble slightly from the aftermath of his crying fit. His eyes darted around, and every few bites, he’d look at his mom to make sure she wouldn’t try to interrupt his snack time. He was completely focused on the jelly, stuffing it into his mouth as fast as his little hands could manage.
Tauch’s mom watched him with a sigh of relief, shaking her head but smiling. The snack had finally silenced him, and now his only concern was eating every last bit of it. His earlier tantrum seemed like a distant memory now, as he sat on the kitchen floor, munching happily.
After finishing the jelly, Tauch sat back and gave a small satisfied sigh, his tummy finally feeling full. He looked up at his mom with wide eyes, as if nothing had ever been wrong. The tears and shaking had vanished, replaced with a contented smile. His mom, grateful that peace had finally been restored, picked him up again, patting his full belly.
“Next time, no more tantrums, little one,” she whispered gently, kissing the top of his head.
But Tauch, already drowsy from his snack, simply closed his eyes and rested his head on her shoulder, completely content now that his hunger was gone.
