I've learned something not so nice about myself lately. I have a real mother bear instinct when it comes to my boys. Truly. I watched a documentary last night about a man who lives among bears and he learned the hard way that you should never come between a mother bear and her cub. The mother bear he knew and loved turned on his camera man very unexpectedly when she perceived that he was causing her cub harm. The man was shocked that the normally friendly mother put a nasty, bloody gash in his ankle. And she did it fast. Without thinking. And fiercely.
I've done the same thing lately. My son came home from an event and let me know that he'd gotten in trouble over a misunderstanding with one of my friends. Boy. Mother bear I became. I was so mad I was physically shaking and I sent an e-mail to my friend that I'm afraid may have strained my relationship with her permanently.
Today that same son came home from school in tears. He's been trying so hard to get his very strict teacher to like him and today she embarrassed him in front of the class by saying (twice) that maybe she should move his desk closer to so and so so that he could flirt with her. Grrrrrrrr. I was out the door, purse and keys in hand, teeth barred, claws out when I took a minute. Flirt? Okay, I think it's okay. She was teasing with him, right? I took a few deep breaths and remembered that we can discuss it (calmly) at Parent/Teacher conference tomorrow night. Phew. Look out. Never come between a mother bear and her poor, defenseless (perhaps naughty?) cub. Yikes. I can be scary.
