Joys of Boys

I remember like it was yesterday the moment my doctor held up my screaming, pink baby to announce, ‘It’s a boy!’  And then a second time. And then a third.

Little did I realise at the time all the fun (and some of the challenges) that lie ahead.

The facts remain: there are physiological differences between male and female children that play out in the way we experience their male energy.  At risk of generalising, here are some examples based on my own experiences:

Boys are active

As a mother of sons, rainy days were my worst nightmare.  Boys need to get those wiggles out; to run and play and jump and sweat. On rainy days, couches became trampolines and lounge rooms became forts.

Boys are kinaesthetic learners

You can tell a boy that a pan is hot, but until he touches it and cries, he does not learn. Boys are active (kinaesthetic) learners.  Their education journey needs to be ‘hands on’ and a wise (and brave) teacher or parent will not expect them to sit quietly at a table, but mobilise and activate their learning, despite possible bumps and bruises.

Boys are wild

I never gave my sons a toy gun.  They chewed their toast into guns. Sticks became swords. As a gentle, peace-loving woman, this baffled me.

My life became easier when I embraced my boys’ rough and tumble play.  Inevitably, after every meal, they seemed to transform into Labrador puppies—rolling and tumbling all over each other.  Thankfully, our friends at the Raising Children Network offer this expert advice on rough and tumble play.

Boys are sweet

Nobody can melt a Mama’s heart like her boy.  I once told my son that I love the smell of mandarin as I peeled his fruit for afternoon tea.  That evening, I found a little jar of mandarin peel by my bed.

These are the keys which I found to be tried and true ways to unlock my boys’ hearts:

Ø  Choices—consider giving them two acceptable choices and the illusion of control.

Ø  Reward—dangle a carrot so that they know what and why they are doing something.

Ø  Humour—make it into a game.  Laughter and joy are often underutilised weapons in our parenting arsenal.

Ø  Adventure—Boys were born for adventure! Use your imagination to turn the mundane into something epic.

If you are lucky enough to be the mother of sons, buckle up and enjoy the ride.

I wouldn’t trade my three sons for anything!