When the Mamas Come

The mamas send their best. They don't keep the good ones home to school themselves. It's my job to love them, take care of them, protect them. Arm them with lifelong strategies that will help them succeed emotionally, socially, and academically. I teach my students that name-callers are sad; bullies are angry because of what they have experienced. I teach them strategies like the "thank you" and the "skip away" when someone calls them names. I teach them to not give up their power by getting red, yelling screaming or acting mad. I teach them to appreciate and love themselves, so they can love others. I teach them to look around the play ground, and play with the friendless, so we can stop the bullying. I love teaching the children. They are eager to learn, and they want to try new things. Their mothers are another story. When the mamas come, they are loud, angry, obnoxious, defensive. They want to correct other mama's children. Flashing eyes, angry words. "I've taught him to strike first," they tell me. It's not the children. It's the mamas who are the problem. I'm afraid of the mamas.