Tong was still wobbling on his little legs, his toes gripping the ground like he wasn’t sure what they were meant to do. Every time he tried to stand, his knees trembled, and he plopped right back down with a soft thud. He looked up at his mom with big, confused eyes — as if asking, “Why is walking so hard?”
Mom leaned close, brushing her nose gently against his cheek. She wasn’t upset. She wasn’t rushing him. She was encouraging him, step by slow step. With a soft chirp, she nudged his tiny back, urging him to rise again.
Tong pushed himself up, legs shaking like jelly.
Mom stayed right beside him.
He took one wobbly step.
Then another.
Then—
Collapse. He fell into a fluffy heap, letting out an annoyed little squeak.
Instead of giving up, Mom scooped him back to his feet with a patient touch. She wrapped her tail around him for support, her eyes filled with warmth. Tong felt her calm strength, and it gave him courage.
He tried again.
One step.
Two steps.
A tiny pause.
Three… four…
His little face lit up with pride.
Mom chirped happily, rubbing her head against his tiny one. She wasn’t teaching him to walk just for fun — she was teaching him to explore the world, to grow strong, and to trust that she’d always be there when he stumbled.
Tong wobbled forward again, and this time he didn’t fall.
His mom followed proudly behind, ready to catch him if he did.
With every tiny step he took, he wasn’t just learning to walk —
he was learning courage, guided by the gentle love of a mother who believed in him.
