It was lunchtime, and little Monkey Lyly couldn’t contain her excitement. Her nose twitched as she sniffed the sweet, familiar smell drifting from the kitchen. Her eyes lit up, and her tail swayed with joy—it was her absolute favorite food: ripe bananas with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of crushed peanuts on top!
Lyly jumped up and down with excitement. She clapped her little hands and hurried toward the table where the bowl of her beloved treat sat waiting. But just as she reached out to grab it, Mom gently stopped her with a firm but loving hand.
“Wait, Lyly,” Mom said, kneeling beside her. Lyly froze, confused. “But why?” her wide eyes seemed to ask. Her lip trembled a little as she looked longingly at the bananas.
Mom pointed to Lyly’s hands, which were still dirty from playing outside in the garden earlier. Her little fingers were covered in dust, a leaf was stuck to her arm, and a tiny smear of mud decorated her cheek. She looked down at herself, then up at Mom, and finally understood.
“Food is for clean hands and clean monkeys,” Mom smiled gently. “We don’t want to get sick, right?”
Lyly pouted for a moment, but then nodded slowly. She followed Mom to the sink and let her wash her hands, arms, and even her silly muddy cheeks. She giggled as the water tickled her fingers and splashed her nose.
Once she was all clean, Mom handed her a soft towel and gave her a kiss on the head. “Now you’re ready.”
Lyly rushed back to the table, this time with sparkling clean hands and a proud little smile on her face. She took her first bite—and oh, it was delicious! Totally worth the wait.
Sometimes, Mom’s “not now” is actually a “just wait a moment”—and little Lyly learned that even her favorite food tastes better when you’re clean, healthy, and ready for it.
