What a Mama Bear Can Teach You
Ok I know that title is a little odd.. I mean how often do we go to animals to teach us about how to homeschool and parent? But I gotta tell you, there’s a lot we can learn from them! Read on to find out what a mama bear can teach you about homeschooling AND parenting!
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Why learn from a mama bear?
In our world it seems like there is a constant barrage of predators trying to steal our children, either physically, emotionally or spiritually. In the animal world I doubt if there is a more feared animal than the mama bear. And that’s exactly what the world needs to think about us mamas. They need to FEAR us. They need to be frightened to target our children. That includes those who would damage their souls or the bully down the road. Remember that popular slogan in the 90’s? FEAR THIS? Yep that’s just what predators need to do. It also includes those who would seek to undermine your authority and influence as a loving parent and educator. Those type of people need to be fully aware you don’t mess around and will stop that kind of behavior instantly and permanently, even if that requires severing relationships. Mama Bears don’t mess around with threats. They stop them! Do the same!
Mama Bears keep their babies close. Yes that’s right. Mama Bears don’t loan their babies out to random bears for daily care while she goes out for food. In fact if male bears (which are threats)get around her babies, watch out! They say big male bears are terrified of mama bears. So keep your babies close and you can fend off threats. Keeping them close also allows you to teach them what they need to learn. How effective would a mama bear be about training her cubs if she drops them off somewhere everyday and doesn’t invest each day in them? Probably not very😳
Train them everyday! Mama Bears spend a great deal of their time consistently training their cubs in how to be a bear. They teach them about danger, how to get food and how to interact with other bears.
Now this is just a little observation on my own part but from what I’ve seen of Mama Bears they are nurturing but they also discipline their cubs. I would say there is a fine line between being too stern and being too lax. I personally don’t want to fall off the horse on either side. So, while I want to give my children the freedom in their homeschooling to enjoy the pursuits they like I also want to gently lead them in learning things they will have to know to be successful (such as practicing reading when they may not want to).
The Most Important Thing:
The most important thing I think Mama Bears can teach us is they keep their cubs home until they are capable of being independent then they let them go be their own individual. I know we aren’t bears and care and pray about our children after they will leave home, however we DO need to remember they are their own person and not be a meddling parent. We also need to realize that we can’t actually teach them EVERYTHING they need to learn but we can teach them how to learn ANYTHING!
One great way to be a mama bear is to homeschool your children so you can be their main influencer. Oh, I know people will say you’re still the main influence just being a parent but its honestly not true. Guess what? If they’re in government school its not the teachers either. Who is it? Unfortunately its the students. Yes, students from ALL walks of life. That means your child’s best friend may view porn with their siblings at night while their parents do drugs in the same room 🙁 So a mama bear should help her kids choose their friends wisely! The best way to do that is limit who your kids are with. Why not encourage them to be best friends with their siblings or children who come from solid Christian homes instead of random strangers?
As a mama bear you can be protective, proactive and prevent many of the heart aches children and parents go through as a result of foolish choices. Remember baby bears and children don’t know what all kinds of danger looks like but Mama Bear does and so do YOU!