At one point in our lives, if you have kids, you will feel yourself feeling bad about, or regretting, something you said to your child. Whether it was a discipline measure, a joke gone wrong, a cuss word slipped…we are constantly making mistakes.
It’s understandable though. When I watch a lion with her cubs and they’re crawling all over her and chasing her tail and attacking her ears. I always watch the mother with a sense of knowing. I feel like I can really relate to the abuse she’s taking and also that stoic look of tolerance as she puts up with the beating from her young cubs.
In a flash you will see mother lion snap and grab a cub that pounced on her face one too many times. She will pin him to the ground by his neck with her teeth and you know what I realized? I never ever feel sorry for the cub when this happens. I watch along thinking, “on yeah…he had that one coming. Looks like he got her in the eye that time. Stupid.” As part of the animal kingdom we come by our lack of tolerance for abuse from our offspring quite naturally.
However, unlike humans, lions and just about every other living animal in this God Green Planet, separate from their children in less than a couple years. They raise them to walk, drink, eat on their own and then they’re on their way! Go with God little cub. Try not to get trampled by an elephant out there, ya hear?
Nine years later, I’m still pinning MY cubs to the ground by their necks with my teeth. And I’m going to be doing it FOREVER!
Where’s the fairness in THAT Lord Jesus?
This 54 second video is what life is like sometimes at my house:
(video here.)
Jennifer says
I don’t know what to think about this. Is it “haha, oh yeah that is so true and funny” or is it “OMG she speaks the truth and I will be biting necks forever”?
Loukia says
Oh I loved this! Needed to read this today… argh with struggles lately with my 4 year old LISTENING TO ME. And as a mom of two little boys, let me just say… I take a beating daily! NO FUN. xo
Chris Carter says
I declare you QUEEN of the JUNGLE!! You can change the course for all womankind and make a new law that enstates we must leave our young by the time they can walk, feed and drink on their own. I truly believe there would be no bickering from either side of the aisle, when up for the vote in congress! Go free ye little children! God be with you! Visit when you have grandkids!
Jamie@southmainmuse says
Too funny. I don’t know how many times I have thought of the exact same image. With me — when they were young — it was literally the touching all over me. Too much sensory overload when stressed. Now it is the constant verbal interruptions when I am stressed about something. Makes me wonder why is mama lion so on edge.
Darcy says
Oh my goodness yes! My almost 2 year old crawls all over me, pulls my hair, stands on me, pinches me.. most of the time without MEANING to hurt me but I can only take so much before I roar at her to stop it.
hilljean says
I like how the cubs go and quietly sit down away from her. Bahahah! I wish I could pop out some fangs now and then.
Kim says
I figure if my kids ever thought I was mean, then I did something right. I’m NOT their friend – it’s my job to teach them how to behave in the big, bad world.
I did okay with the first two…the last? Not so much…but not from lack of trying.
Maggie S. says
It’s more complex to be a human. You are the only one teaching your children the limits. If kids don’t know the limits when they are at home, they will not recognize them when they are outside it.
It’s hard. Mine survived age 11. Yours will, too. Nine is sort of gross. 11 is,….well,…I guess I won’t spoil the surprise.
Tiffany says
Wow, good comparison.