Every morning, just as the sun peeked through the swaying palm leaves outside the cozy little bamboo house, a soft rustle would begin under a fuzzy yellow blanket. That rustle was the beginning of a daily routine—a very special one. Under that blanket lived Lala, the most curious, clever, and sweet little monkey anyone could ever meet.
Lala wasn’t just any monkey. She lived with Farmer Cutis, a gentle-hearted man with a big straw hat and a bigger heart. He found Lala when she was just a baby, scared and shivering near a mango tree after a heavy storm. From that day on, Lala became family. And like any member of the family, she had her habits.
As soon as the birds began to sing, Lala would stretch her tiny arms and give a big yawn. Then, with one hop, she would slide off the bed, scurry across the floor, and head to the little shelf next to the sink. Hanging there was her toothbrush—yes, her very own monkey-sized toothbrush!
Brushing her teeth was always the first task. Lala would dip the brush into a cup of warm water, squeeze a tiny drop of banana-flavored toothpaste (Farmer Cutis made it specially for her), and start scrubbing her teeth in little circles. She’d look at herself in the mirror and grin wide, checking for any bits of mango or rice left from the night before.
“Scrub, scrub, scrub!” she’d hum in her head, copying what she heard Cutis say every morning.
Sometimes, Cutis would come by and pretend to be the tooth-check inspector. He’d hold a tiny magnifying glass and say, “Hmm… Sparkly! Lala gets a star for brushing!”
Lala loved stars. She had a small board above her bed where Cutis would stick a golden sticker every time she followed her morning routine without skipping a step.
After brushing came the second part of her daily habit: peeing.
Lala was very polite. She never liked making a mess. From the time she was a baby, she had been taught how to use the tiny monkey toilet Cutis made just for her. It was painted bright blue and had her name on it in yellow paint. She’d carefully squat, do her business, flush it with a little pull of a string, and hop off with pride.
“Good girl, Lala!” Cutis would call from the kitchen, already preparing breakfast.
And that was the third part of her morning ritual—enjoying breakfast.
Breakfast was always exciting. Lala never knew what Cutis had in store. Sometimes it was warm rice with chopped sweet potatoes and a dash of coconut milk. Other times, it was a tropical fruit salad with papaya, dragon fruit, and juicy watermelon cubes. But Lala’s favorite breakfast of all time was peanut butter toast with banana slices.
She would sit at her small wooden table beside Cutis’s big one, both of them munching away in happy silence. Lala used her tiny fork and spoon like a proper little lady. And if Cutis made eggs, he’d give her a tiny cup of chamomile tea to go with them.
After breakfast came the final part of Lala’s daily routine: taking her medicine.
You see, Lala had a little tummy problem. Nothing serious, but the vet said she needed a bit of medicine every morning to keep her strong and bouncy. At first, she didn’t like the medicine. It was a pink syrup, and it tasted strange. But Farmer Cutis, being the smart and caring man he was, turned it into a little game.
He’d pour the medicine into a tiny spoon shaped like a banana boat. Then he’d pretend the boat was sailing through the jungle, dodging crocodiles and swinging vines.
“Here comes the medicine boat!” he’d say in a funny voice. “Quick, Lala! Open the cave!”
Lala would open her mouth wide, giggling the whole time, and let the banana boat drop in. She’d make a funny face, wrinkle her nose, and then swallow it bravely.
“Yay! You did it!” Cutis would clap. And with that, he’d place another golden star on her chart.
Over time, Lala grew proud of her routine. She even started helping Cutis with his own. She would hand him his toothbrush, remind him to take his vitamins, and sometimes even set the table for breakfast.
One rainy morning, Lala woke up to find Cutis still in bed. He was groaning and didn’t look well.
“Ugh… Lala,” he whispered, “I think I have a fever today…”
Lala tilted her head, worried. But then she took a deep breath and decided to help. Just like Cutis helped her every day, it was her turn to take care of him.
First, she brushed her own teeth, then carried Cutis’s toothbrush to him with a tiny glass of water. He chuckled softly and managed to brush a little. Next, Lala brought him a warm cloth for his forehead and scurried to the kitchen. She remembered how to make rice porridge, just like Cutis did. It wasn’t perfect, but it was warm, and it smelled nice.
She even brought him his medicine—the herbal tea he always drank when he was sick. She dragged the teapot slowly and poured it carefully into his favorite mug with the picture of a dancing goat.
Cutis sipped it and smiled. “Thank you, Lala. You’re the best nurse in the world.”
From that day on, Lala’s routine became even more special. It wasn’t just about brushing, peeing, eating, and taking medicine—it was about caring, learning, and growing.
Now, whenever someone came to visit the farm, Cutis would proudly show off the morning routine chart and say, “Lala is the most responsible monkey I’ve ever known. She teaches all of us what it means to be consistent.”
And Lala, with a proud sparkle in her eyes, would do a little dance and tap her toothbrush like a drum.
Brush-brush!
Tinkle-tinkle!
Munch-munch!
Sip-sip!
Every morning, without fail.
And so, in the little bamboo house with the sunny porch and the swaying palms, Lala’s joyful, daily habit continued—one golden star at a time.
