Do You Have What It Takes To Be a Mean Mom?

“I can’t go? You’re the meanest mom EVER! I wish I lived at Jamie’s house!” When you hear that exclamation, (along with the sound of a slamming door), do you clutch your heart with guilt? Do you wonder what you did wrong to fail so miserably as a parent? If so, pay close attention to what I’m about to say.

According to a renowned, respected researcher, if you feel guilty about incidents like this, you have failed your child. According to this researcher, a successful mom is a Mean Mom. Now, wait a minute, you might object. He didn’t say that, did he?

The researcher, Abraham Maslow, introduced a theory in 1943 in a paper called A Theory of Human Motivation. He identified a hierarchy of human needs that must be met, in sequential order, to reach full maturity, or what he named self-actualization. This theory has been accepted and adopted throughout the world and has earned him the title Father of Humanistic Psychology.

The hierarchy consists of five levels. If we are not provided the critical needs of each level, we cannot progress effectively to the next one, thus interrupting the process of becoming a fully mature adult. The levels differentiated by Maslow are:

Physiological – food, water, shelter
Safety - security
Love, Affection –belonging
Self-esteem – confidence and value
Self-actualization – ability to find your passion

Wait, not one of those levels says to be a Mean Mom. Actually, one does. Can you guess which one?

Send a comment to the blog if you know the answer. Check the website meammomsclub.com, link on the left, to read the full article and learn the answer.