Let Them Be Boys!

This one is for all the little boy mamas out there. I didn’t grow up with brothers so when Taylor came along, phew! I was caught off guard. He had so much energy!! This boy was a totally different child from Kelsey and Emily and it took me a while to figure out what he needed and how to give it to him. Boys NEED to release their energy. My girls would sit still at a friend’s house coloring when we were visiting while Taylor would be off running around, looking for something to throw, punch or wrestle. I’m sure all the moms of boys are nodding their heads right now. Especially when they are little (but honestly it never stops!) they need an outlet for all the physical energy God has put inside them. Make up games to play with your younger boys that involve jumping and running. Have your boys run laps outside when they get antsy in your home. Make outside time mandatory everyday. Invest in rain boots and a good jacket so weather is never an excuse for keeping them cooped up! If they have the right clothing, even on rainy or cold days, you can bundle them up and send them out. I promise they will come back inside with a heart at peace.

While boys need plenty of outlets for their energy and natural aggression, you absolutely can and should expect manners from them as well. If saying “sir’ and “m'am” are important to you (and that’s very important here in the South), communicate your expectations to your boys and don’t give them a pass. Teach them to treat others the way they want to be treated. Model for your boy how to hold doors for others and give them opportunities to step up in serving their younger siblings or you. Seeing an older boy who has disciplined himself to harness his strength for the good of others is a beautiful thing. Moms, let them be boys and watch them thrive!