Parents know the struggle all too well. You can ask nicely, repeat yourself, raise your voice, and somehow the kids still do exactly what they want.
Apparently, that problem is not limited to humans.
A black bear family in North Carolina recently gave drivers a hilariously relatable show when a mama bear had to wrangle her playful cubs out of the middle of the road on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The adorable scene happened along the popular scenic route near Asheville, where traffic came to a stop as the young bears turned the roadway into their personal playground. Instead of quickly crossing, two cubs stood up on their hind legs and began roughhousing while a line of cars waited behind them.
A driver captured the moment on video, and Instagram user @madelynonthemove shared it as a public service announcement for anyone traveling through bear country.
In the clip, the cubs can be seen playing in the road as brake lights glow behind them. Then, as if two mischievous cubs were not enough, a third bear joins the fun, causing even more of a traffic backup.
Finally, mama bear appears and quickly takes charge, guiding her rowdy little ones off the road and back to safety.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
Viewers could not get enough of the very familiar parenting moment.
“Children, how many times have I said: don’t play in the middle of the road,” one person joked.
Another viewer imagined exactly what the exhausted mama was thinking: “Mom is like, ‘if y’all don’t get out of the damn road!!’”
The sweet video was a funny reminder that even in the animal kingdom, moms sometimes have to stop everything and drag their kids out of trouble.
It also served as an important warning for drivers visiting the Blue Ridge Parkway. Bears are often spotted in the area, especially near Asheville, and motorists are urged to slow down, stay alert, and never approach or feed wildlife.
As cute as the moment was, mama bear had the right idea. Playtime is fun, but the middle of the road is definitely not the place for it.