The afternoon was quiet, and little Lala was playing in the living room while Mom tidied up. On the table stood a delicate statue—a gift from a close family friend. Lala, curious as always, tiptoed closer to admire it. Her big eyes sparkled as she reached out with tiny fingers.
But just as she touched it, the statue wobbled. “Oh no!” Lala gasped. Before she could catch it, the statue tumbled to the floor with a sharp crash. Pieces scattered everywhere.
Lala froze. Her little heart thumped loudly in her chest. “Mama’s going to be so mad,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She crouched down, trying to gather the broken pieces, but her hands trembled.
Mom hurried in after hearing the noise. She stopped at the doorway, seeing Lala’s panicked face and the shattered statue on the ground. Lala looked up at her with guilty eyes and stammered, “I-I didn’t mean to, Mama… I’m sorry.”
Instead of scolding, Mom knelt down beside her and gently pulled her into a hug. “Oh, my sweet girl,” she said softly. “I know it was an accident.”
“But… but it was special,” Lala sniffled. “I broke it.”
Mom wiped her tears and smiled warmly. “Statues can be replaced, but you can’t. You’re far more important to me than any object in this house.” She kissed Lala’s forehead, holding her close.
Together, they picked up the pieces carefully. “See? We can always fix or replace things,” Mom explained. “What matters is that you learn from this and remember to be gentle with fragile things.”
Lala nodded, still sad but comforted by her mother’s calm voice. “I’ll be more careful next time, Mama. I promise.”
Mom hugged her tighter. “That’s all I need to hear.”
The statue may have broken, but in that moment, Lala learned something even more valuable: mistakes happen, but love, forgiveness, and gentle guidance from Mom will always be there to help her through.
