Sometimes “Mama Bear” has to growl a little
There is nothing like the protective nature of a mama bear. If you don’t believe it, try to get between a mama bear and her cubs. I remember seeing a beautiful mama bear lumbering along in Philmont with the Boy Scouts and providing the same caution to the Boy Scout troop I was training. I cautioned them that a mama with her cubs will likely become aggressive if she feels her babies are being threatened. I told them to make as much noise as possible if it were to happen. Later that day, we were setting up camp and I was in my tent and I heard quite the raucous outside my tent. As I poked my head out, that mama bear was making it clear we were too close to her babies, just a little growl but she made her presence known. That was my day today-mama bear had to growl a little. I understood how Moses’ mom must have felt when she hid him for three months to keep him from the King of Egypt’s wrath. I also know the sacrifice a mom makes of self and personal needs when “she placed the child in it (a papyrus basket) and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile” (Exodus 2:3, NIV). You see, a mother will do anything to protect her child. It’s in our nature.
We are in the midst of selling one home and buying another. As part of this move, we are working to get the girls registered in their new school. They have stayed in this same school system their entire lives and there have been few times when I have felt that decisions were made that did not take the children’s best interest into account (rezoning for new builds in middle school post COVID). I share this to provide background that overall, we have been very pleased with our school system…until we told them we were moving. I have sent multiple communications to administration to only get deflected and told to talk to someone else with no assistance. When I sought to find the least disruptive solution for the girls, their recommendation was to start them for a week or so and that they must disenroll the moment we move knowing how disruptive this would be for rising 11th graders. Contrast that with the school where they are going that has done nothing but offer solutions and ideas on how to best support the girls with minimal impact and has provided close loop communication throughout the process.
Today, the day I growled, I visited the school to request their transcripts in person since this is the only hold up for their transfer and was told that the person doesn’t speak to people in person and informed of what I needed to do online. I shared that not only had ai done all those things, but I had also called the office and them and left messages with no response and that my girls are still not in school as we wait. Instead of letting me in to discuss the situation, I was left outside as the admin “checked” on what they could do. Ten minutes later, as I remained outside, the admin came outside and told me over her shoulder as she was picking items up from a cart that the registrar had shared with her that she did get a transcript request and had 72 hours to respond and would try to get to it end of day or the next day. Did I mention this is the only thing holding the girls up from attending school that has now started in both areas?
I did what I always encourage others to do, I waited and reflected before responding. Later, I sent an email to the Principal of the school sharing the experience and encouraging her to provide feedback to the staff that personal inconvenience and lack of communication should not be the driving force behind decisions and actions made by our educators. I come from a family of educators and my mom would always reinforce with her staff and teachers that above all else, they are there for the children. Their mission is to educate and when children fail, they shud be asking what could they have done to help them learn not write off the child because they were not good enough or they didn’t try enough. Today, and this past week, I felt like our educators did not try enough. I know it is a hectic time with school starting and I know that my children are not the only children in the school but a simple response communicating the 72 hour turn around, or acknowledgement of the ask would go a long way in helping not only the kids but also the parents not be stressed about the unknown when starting new is already stressful. So today, mama bear had to growl, just a little.
God does the same thing for us as our Father. He growled when he saved His people from Egypt. His rod and staff protects His children when they walk through dark valleys. “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Psalms 121:4, NIV). Just like the mama bear, God is always watching over His cubs and sometimes, He growls.
Today, I pray that you not sit in silence when something is not right. It is not just about that moment, or you, it’s about speaking up so maybe next time they think before they act. I pray that you not forget what I heard a long time ago, if you do nothing, you are part of the problem.
I pray these words spoke to you, please share with a friend. Don’t miss a blog post, subscribe to my web page.
