Have you guys seen the crisp white transformation Coca-Cola has made this Holiday Season? In partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Coca-Cola launched this very special program to call attention to protecting the Polar Bear's home in the Arctic.

Do you guys remember my excitement when I, first, announced I was an official Coca-Cola Mama Bear? It really got me thinking how these polar bears protect their cubs in the wild and the lengths they must go to in survival with their children. It forced me to reflect my own parenting methods.... How do I go the extra mile for my children?



Polar bears have been a part of the Coca-Cola tradition since 1922, when they first appeared in a Coca-Cola print advertisement in France. For the next 70 years, these fun-loving bears appeared sporadically in advertising campaigns and made appearances on Coke cans in countries around the globe, including Spain, Italy and Hong Kong. And in 1993, they became forever connected to Coca-Cola with the animated television commercial “Northern Lights.” The memorable commercial, based on a concept by Ken Stewart, depicted a group of polar bears enjoying their favorite soft drink while watching the sky light up.

Since then, the bears have appeared in 10 more commercials, including multiple spots celebrating the holiday season and two ads for the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer.

Besides donation and parcel purchases, you can also find polar bear information and stats on Coca-Cola’s Arctic Home site.


The polar bear has come to represent family togetherness, refreshment, good times and the start of the holiday season. For years, people around the world have watched as these lovable polar bears have: skated across frozen ponds, gone for their gold at the Olympics, welcomed twin cubs, tested their swimming skills, celebrated the millennium, gone sledding as a family, and most recently shared a dance with neighboring penguins!


For me, as a Mama Bear, these Polar Bears are inspiration in the scary, yet rewarding job as a parent. Above, I pondered how I go the extra mile for my children and I could say anything from feeding them healthy foods, ensuring they're prepared for success at school, or keeping the laughter in the home with family activities, but in all honesty?

In my pretty little Mama Bear head, it's more than that.


I go the extra mile for my children, simply, by being enough.

It really is that simple. Being a Mother is the the hardest thing I've ever done. It's this emotional roller coaster where, in one instant, you're laughing and the next you're crying. As my children are getting older, in Elementary, I'm finding that I have the capability of making mistakes as I parent them through these hard years, but how I react to those mistakes will be the true test of going the extra mile. I can't get down on myself. I can't let myself think I'm a horrible mother... I simply need to know I'm enough for these sweet children.

At the end of the day, I'm the one person (besides their Father) who will always be there, will always love them, will always protect them in the wild of growing up...... will always go that extra mile.

Explore how polar bears go the extra mile too! In the “Polar Bears” section of the Arctic Home website, you can learn quick facts about the bears or track five live Mama Bears the WWF has tagged in the wild. Each Mama Bear has a special connection with her cubs and will help keep them safe as they trek across the Arctic in search for food and shelter.



Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Coca-Cola, but Coca-Cola is not a sponsor, administrator, or involved in any other way with this post. All opinions expressed in the post are my own and not those of Coca-Cola.

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