Mamas Know Best

What I’ve Learned from Mother Animals:

Mother Gorilla – My first baby was nursing for the gazillionth time that day while we watched a PBS documentary about gorillas. One bit of footage zeroed in on a mother gorilla, nursing one baby while another baby crawled on her back. Our eyes locked, and she said...
...“Yeah, I get it, Sister.” From her I learned: If it’s hungry, feed it. If it cries, hold it. The school bus will come, one day.

Mother Raccoon – She transferred her babies across the parking lot the same day we moved out of our first apartment. From her I learned: Keep the babies safe and move ‘em if you must. Parents get ‘em where they need to go and stay and watch the game/listen to the concert/admire the artwork/hear the speech(es).

Mother Mallard of Make Way for Ducklings – “Don’t you worry. I know all about bringing up children.” And she did.

Mother Bear – Watch out for the claws. Enough said.

Mother Wolf – What happens in the pack stays in the pack. Also, the pack will always have your back.


Wire Mother of Harlow’s experiments – I will hold you if you are sad or scared. I will console you if you lose, but I can’t change it. I will comfort you if you screw up or “epic fail,” but only you can fix it.

Mother Robin – She built her nest on the ledge of my second story bedroom window and raised three babies. From her I learned: Fly, fly, Birdies, out of the nest.


Contributed by Elaine Jack, Assistant Editor, Today's Family magazine.