I am a Mama Bear

I went Mama Bear on a kid the other day. I happened to be at the school delivering Grand Master D‘s lunch and saw Miss Gremlin lined up. She looked a little sad but I let it go. Then a teacher called me over and told me a girl was kicking her at lunch time. Now we’ve had a few incidents of bullying lately and although it gets cleared up quickly, I’m sick of it happening. I’m not sure why it is happening because Miss Gremlin is a sweet and compassionate kid at school. Maybe because she’s getting so tall, maybe because she doesn’t like girly stuff. I really don’t know but this shit has to stop.mama bear

So after the teacher told me, I went back to Miss Gremlin and asked if she was ok, she started crying but said she was just tired. I know it wasn’t that but I also know not to push it. She’s 9 and those emotions and hormones are becoming a challenge.

So I did the next best thing. I went mama bear on the kid! In front of staff. I know how to do it. No touching, no threatening but making your point known in a strong way, I got down to eye level with this kid and told her in no uncertain terms that I didn’t like her kicking my child and that it’s not nice and we’re all friends and don’t do it again. I explained that was bullying behaviour and I’m sure she didn’t want to be a bully. Then I asked her if she understood me. With her wide eyes trained on me she assured me she understood and wouldn’t do it again. With that I left the area, went upstairs to inform the classroom teacher (covering my arse) and headed home. I felt bad for this kid but I wasn’t gonna put up with someone kicking my kid at lunch, making her miserable for no reason.

Then it struck me, what if I got in trouble, what if the parent came and got Mama Bear on me? Holy crap what did I just do? I’m just one little person, I may talk a big game but I’m a gooey mush inside. I crumble at the first threat. So now I’m panicking… This child’s mother might come and confront me. It was in the forefront of my thinking for the next 3 hours and when Miss Gremlin came home I was still worried.

I asked her how her day was and she told me that the girl came and apologised, of her own volition and they were friends again. I felt relief, for Miss Gremlin, that the situation was over but mostly for me because the child realised she did something wrong and fixed it and wasn’t going home tattling about the crazy white woman who got in her face at school.

Sometimes I just forget where I live. This time it was ok….Next time, I better think before I go Mama Bear on someone’s kid even though it’s my first instinct.

Have you ever had to go Mama bear on a kid being mean? How did you do it? Did you regret it later? Did it become a problem with another parent?  It’s so tough to navigate…..

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