It was a cheerful morning, and Monkey Lyly was full of energy. After breakfast, she dragged out her favorite toy of the week — a little pop-up play tent decorated with stars and moons. With her imagination in full swing, Lyly transformed the tent into a magical castle, a jungle explorer’s base, and even a secret treasure cave. Her toys were scattered all around it, and she was completely absorbed in her little world.
Meanwhile, her mother was tidying the house, unaware that Lyly had only stepped out of the tent for a moment to grab her stuffed lion. Seeing the empty tent and the toys left in disarray, Mom thought playtime was over. With a quick swoop, she folded up the tent and placed it back in the closet, humming as she moved on to her next chore.
When Lyly returned, stuffed lion in hand, she froze. Her “castle” was gone.
“Whaaaat?! Where’s my tent?!” she cried, eyes wide with disbelief. She ran into the living room, clutching her lion. “Mommy! Did you take down my tent?”
Her mother turned around, surprised. “Oh no, Lyly! I thought you were done playing with it!”
Lyly’s lip quivered. “But I was still playing… I was just getting Leo!”
Realizing her mistake, Mom immediately crouched down and gave Lyly a big hug. “I’m so sorry, sweetie. I didn’t know. You were so quiet, I thought you were finished.”
Lyly sniffled. “It was my space station…”
Mom smiled softly. “Well then, let’s set it up again. This time, I’ll even help you build a rocket!”
Lyly’s face lit up. “Really?”
Together, they unfolded the tent, added pillows, and even strung up little lights. Within minutes, Lyly was back in space — this time, with her mom co-piloting the adventure.
And from that day on, Mom always asked first before putting anything away.
