Family Christian, Motherhood

Ways To Thrive as a “Boy-Mom”

March 10, 2015

Growing up, I never thought that I would be a boy-mom. I guess I assumed I would have sons, but I usually concentrated on daughters, girls. I wouldn’t say I was the most girly girl ever, but I was fairly girly in my grade school years. I dreamed of being a mom, I dressed up my dolls, my stuffed animals, my barbies (and even my poor pet chihuahua). I felt (and feel) born to be a mother. But, like I said, I usually pictured myself with little girls.

That all changed when we found out Abe was a boy. A boy? I like little boys! But what do I do with one? … Well, I now can answer that questions — quite a lot! Abe is just small, not quite a year old, but he has already brought me so much joy. He is a sweetheart, a joy to be around, and a sensitive little soul. I’m sure as he and I grow older together there will be new experiences that I will experience (just exactly how does the Scouting program work? how do I teach him to pee standing up? little boys are so hard on their clothes! better brush up on my ball skills!) but each experience will be fun and new and we get to experience it together. I’ve also found some great ways to thrive as a “boy mom” and thought I’d share them with you today.

Find Advice and Help in Other Boy-MomsOf course, there are those who have gone before us who can help! My mother-in-law raised 4 boys, so I’m sure as Abe grows older I’ll be turning to her at times. Two of my sisters-in-law also have boys — one even has twin boys! — and I’m sure they’ll be able to teach me a thing or two, as well. Tina Krause is another mother who I enjoy turning to. Granted, I don’t turn to her personally, but her book The Savvy Mom’s Guide to Sons is full of amazing tips and scriptures to “improve your relationship and save your sanity”. The Savvy Mom’s Guide weaves humor and scripture into 101 tips of how to parent boys and it’s a great read, and with tips like “Dirt Won’t Hurt” and “Treat Him Like the Kid He Is” I am certain I will refer back to it often. I definitely recommend picking up a copy if you’re a boy-mom like me.
Pray for GuidancePrayer is such a powerful tool, and one I think we under-use and under-estimate (and I’ve talked about that here). We turn to God when we are in the midst of hard trials, but what about the little things? He wants to hear about those, too, and help us! I’ve just started the book Prayers for Your Children, and I love it so far. It has 90 days of prayers for parents to pray for their children. We must never forget that God is a Father, too! We can pray for guidance on how to teach our children, how to reach out to our children, or just for them in general. We can also pray during those “what have I gotten myself into” moments for peace and comfort 🙂 Praying for someone not only helps them, but it helps you in your relationships with both God and the one you are praying for. I guarantee as you pray for your child, your relationship will continue to flourish and grow and you’ll become closer.
Prepare Now to Get Messy and DirtyI will admit, I’m a bit of a clean appearance freak. The fact that sometimes my child runs (figuratively, he can’t really run yet) around with food on his clothes and face sometimes stresses me out. But I’ve learned (and am continuing to learn) to let it go. Boys will be boys. (Kids will be kids, in fact.) And you can’t control them all of the time. Yes, there are times and places to look nice and clean, but some days little boys need to dig in the mud and play in the sand, and really, isn’t that what childhood is all about?
Cover in LoveI can’t say this enough — love your child. Children need parents who play with them and listen to them. You can not love your child too much. You simply can’t.