The Mama Bear Instinct

posted by nicole

The moment I held my daughter for the first time, my Mama Bear Instinct was awakened.  I just didn’t realize it…until my cub needed protecting.

Protecting Your Child and the Mama Bear Instinct

I consider myself a calm, good-natured person. I’m easy-going, friendly,  slow to anger, and I generally try to keep the peace.  I guess you could say most times I’m a big teddy bear.  But  I have to admit since I’ve become a mom,  there have been a few times where the teddy bear was overtaken by a ferocious, feral Mama Bear. After all, you just don’t mess with this Mama Bear when it comes to protecting my cub!

One time, I was doing some retail therapy shopping at Kohl’s, and I brought along my daughter. She was  just about 4 months old, and after a while of shopping she started to get fussy. I knew she was  hungry so I took a break from shopping and went outside to feed her. I was sitting on a bench outside of the store, cuddling my daughter and giving her a bottle, when this woman asks me to move down on the bench. Obligingly, I slid down-even though there were three other open benches. Then, I watched out of the corner of my eye, as she stared at my daughter. “She’s cute,” the woman commented. Then as she continued to stare, she said, “Oh…but…I think she is bow-legged.”

Yup that was the moment, I felt the Mama Bear hairs on my neck start to bristle. I looked at her with my own stare, as cold as ice. I vividly remember at that moment, the Mama Bear inside me turned to a ferocious beast. What did you say? Why don’t you say that again while I tear off your legs with my teeth, claw your face, poke your eyes out, and tell you where to stick your own bow-legged legs.

But really, I didn’t shred her. I wrangled that Mama Bear beast as best as I could, and just went with a strong death stare and a snarl, and left the bench.

Another time, I had just walked into Christmas Tree Shoppe with my toddler in tow, and out of nowhere this woman appears and walks right up to my daughter. Ignoring me, she says, “Oh, you’re so cute. Can I take you home with me little girl?” and she reached out her hand for her. Now, this was probably innocent. Maybe she was just being friendly or what not, but again those Mama Bear hairs started to bristle.  Don’t even think you are going to lay one little fraction of a finger on my daughter you child predator, I will leave you chewed up and bleeding in the parking lot before you can even say Kris Kringle!

But really, I didn’t attack. I squelched that Mama Bear inside me and grabbed my daughter’s hand and briskly walked away.

Who was this person coming out of me? Was I losing my mind? But I knew who it was. It was my inner Mama Bear. No matter how calm and laid-back, the real me is, the Mama Bear instinct was now within me ready to pounce when my cub needed protection. I feel good knowing that protective Mama Bear is inside me. And I feel bad for the day when I can’t or don’t want to tame her. After all, everyone should know, you just don’t mess with a Mama Bear.

Tell me I’m not alone! Have you had a Mama Bear experience? Did you let that Mama Bear Instinct take over or did you stay calm?

Posted in Family, Laugh a Little, Mom Stuff, Parenting. Tagged , .

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