Photo 4: The most important part of the “lesson”—a warm hug to reassure Baby Bear that Mama Bear loves him unconditionally, but does not like, approve of or accept it when he misbehaves. All is forgiven, and love prevails!
If a bear—a wild animal with “savage” instincts—can effectively discipline her cub without striking him, or harming their bond—why can’t humans do the same? How is it that an animal parent can have more control, more discipline, in expressing its anger, frustration and displeasure to their child, than humans do, and we’re supposed to be more civilized?
Maybe it’s humans that are less evolved when it comes to dealing with anger at our children. And maybe we can try the Mama Bear glare-and-hug sequence next time. All positive discipline literature emphasizes coming down to the child’s eye-level to make the connection and impart the lesson. This is wisdom, straight from nature.