One day the mother duck took her ducklings out of the basket wherein they were hatched out into the world for a stroll. There was a pond in the farm but it was across the road. The mother duck thought about it for a moment. "Hmmm this would be a good time to teach the ducklings how to walk in line and to be careful when crossing the street." So, off they went.

The ducks followed the mother waddling right behind her and following her lead. When they got to the edge of the road there was a drop from the sidewalk down to the surface of the asphalt thoroughfare. One of the ducklings, excitedly jumped ahead of the others, even overtaking the cautious mother duck and jumped. Kerplop... the little duckling flipped on his back and his legs were pumping up and down while his featherless wings were just tiny appendages proving useless in the situation.

The mother duck screamed. "You little fool. Who told you to break ranks and jump ahead? Did I not tell you to follow? Get up before I smack you senseless."

"But Mama I can't get up. I am flat on my back. What am I supposed to do?" entreated the little duckling now all confused and bewildered.

"Get up I say. And don't play any more shenanigans!" The mother duck quacked her way over to the pond leaving the poor little duckling to negotiate his predicament on his own.

Eventually and after some hurt pride the little duckling limped over to the pond and sat there on the shore. "Well come on in!" yelled the mother duck.

The little duckling didn't even budge. He was too afraid to do anything - lest he flipped on his back again.

Where did the mother duck go wrong with the little duckling? What would you have done?