Michele Cheplic recently wrote a blog in which she addresses the mama bear that can come out. She shared the story of her daughter getting bit by a younger boy and the feelings that stirred up in her.
I could totally relate to her blog. In fact, that mama bear in me has sometimes been an embarrassment for my children. Take the time my now 18-year-old son was in the 5th grade.
As a regular volunteer at his school, I happened to come onto the playground during their lunch/recess time when I witnessed another boy pushing him. Knowing my son to be the type who would never strike back, I immediately felt the sharp claws come out.
All it took was a swing to my son’s head for me to pounce. I started yelling at the top of my lungs for him to get his hands off my son. I think the entire playground of children stopped what they were doing.
As I got closer to the boy, I unleashed on him. I can’t recall what I said but I made him feel pretty small. The problem is that I also made my son feel the same.
Who wants their raving lunatic of a mother to come to their defense on the playground in front of a
hundred kids when you are in the 5th grade? It was a hard lesson to learn.
I wish I could say that from that moment on the mama bear in me never came out again. Because the truth is that I have had my moments. But I have also learned some things.
The only thing you can really do is try and use some restraint, think before you react and ask yourself, “Will this make the situation worse for my child?” Thankfully I have grown in all these ways. But it doesn’t make the pain of seeing your child hurt physically or emotionally any better.
Now I’m thinking about the day my son is in basic training and he shares with me what they do to him. While the mama bear in me will still want to come out, there won’t be any swiping of the claws.
I guess in a way you could call me a reformed mama bear.
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