I call it The Mama Bear.
Little Son basically summed up The Mama Bear Syndrome the other day when he said, “Mom, I don’t get how you can be so nice one moment and then so mean the next.”
This was my reply to him, “It’s because somebody messed with The Mama Bear.”
One moment I can be sweet as honey and even cute and cuddly while enjoying the berries in the forest. The next moment I can be fierce as fire, showing my claws, and roaring louder than anyone around. I’m The Mama Bear and when I want to be heard, I will find a way.
Why does this happen? I could blame hormones . . . since they do cause many female quandries. But I think it’s more than that. What brings out The Mama Bear?
I have found that for me, I become The Mama Bear usually when someone or something messes with my family or our goal of family happiness. In real life, I’m actually kinda quiet and will patiently let things happen around me without too much worry. Or I can even be wimpy and not dare do stuff. But if someone “steps on my babies” (as My Mama used to say) then The Mama Bear comes out of nowhere and finds a way to protect them.
Somehow when I’m in Mama Bear mode, I do not care who hears me, how embarrassing I look, or who is standing in my way. I have an inner strength (albeit a little crazy) that comes out.
In real life I hate spiders and bugs. I will get away from them and yes, even scream. But if one of those spiders or bugs gets near my baby . . . I have no problem pounding it and yes, even touching it!
In real life I am nice to people I don’t know and just meet out and around town. But if one of those people even looks at my baby the wrong way . . . The Mama Bear takes over.
But I’ve decided it’s a gift from God. It’s probably how women survived the terrors of World War II. It’s probably how pioneer women were able to bear children in the middle of nowhere and survive the hardships of life. And I think it’s how we women now protect our children from predators and the evils of our world today.
We use that same Mama Bear strength to teach them goodness. It’s how we shield them from inappropriate media. It’s how we teach them not to do drugs. It’s how we demand honesty and integrity in an ever-increasing dishonest world. It’s how we show them how to make good choices, even when no one else is.
So to you my readers, find your inner Mama Bear. I hope The Mama Bear comes out regularly and protects your family from the ugly things of this world. What brings out The Mama Bear in you?
–Lisa
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