In the video above, we see a situation any parent of a young child would recognize, except maybe cuter. Certainly fluffier. That time a parent struggles to get a little kid to follow a few simple instructions.
At the Smithsonian National Zoo, giant panda cub Bei Bei has just climbed a tree for the first time. It took a few tries, but he finally made it up. Getting down? That’s another story.
Six-month-old Bei Bei’s mother Mei Xiang stands by, ready to help, offering a few encouraging touches. Of course, each time she tries to guide him down, Bei Bei scoots right back up the tree. He’s speaking in panda, but we imagine he’s saying something along the lines of: “Mom, I got this.”
The adorable back and forth goes on for a while, until Mei Xiang eventually wins the battle and gets her adventurous little boy safely back on terra firma.
Bei Bei, who was born Aug. 22, 2015, lives at the Smithsonian National Zoo with his mom, dad (via artificial insemination) Tian Tian, and sister Bao Bao. We’ve been watching him grow—and sneeze—in the zoo’s videos. Bei Bei was given his name by first ladies Michelle Obama and Peng Liyuan of the U.S. and China as part of a Sino-American panda diplomacy. When he’s 4, he’ll be returned to China.
