I’m pretty sure no one ever told me raising boys would be easy!  In fact I’ve never heard anyone say raising any child(ren) would be easy.  I do feel privileged, in a way, to have the experience of raising two boys and two girls.  You see, there is an interesting dynamic that occurs between brothers and one that occurs between sisters.  I could probably write a series of books for both, but for the sake of today’s post I’ll focus on all things “snips and snails and puppy dog tails”!!!

Sam and Jake are both good kids.  They are three and a half years apart, best buddies and worst enemies.  I try hard to laugh at the chaos they bring to our home but unlike a lot of those blogging mommies out there who seem to find the light-hearted “boys will be boys” mantra in every situation I have had to work to ease up and allow them space to just be boys.  In fact, I still cringe at the fact that my living room is almost always a “carpet-hockey arena” despite the fact that their dad cleared a perfectly good space in the basement playroom for them to play this sport.  I know, I know, I should appreciate that they love to play this together and have even taken to including their sisters in the odd game or two.  Sometimes I just have a difficult time sharing my space with the odd conversations, the gross bodily noises, the smelly armpits and natural rambunctious attitude that seems to accompany these rounds of good fun.  And I especially dislike the amazing mood swings of preteen boys that include slamming doors, admonitions to remove myself from their space or just a general silent treatment for the sake of showing me just how difficult it is to grow up in a well-adjusted, completely normal household with every need provided for.

The truth of the matter is that raising boys is a special and unique opportunity.  I know that one day I’ll have to let these sweet young men go entirely as they enter adulthood and one day have their own families.  But for the time being, I enjoy the fact that I still get hugs and kisses, snuggles as I tuck them into bed and thoroughly bask in the sunshine of their affection because, when they’re not being angry about me “bossing them around”, they still think I’m the best woman they know.  I don’t plan on raising boys who are mamma’s boys and inform their wives of the phenomenal way their mom cooks this meal or that, much to her chagrin and the detriment of our future mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship but I do hope that we can find ways to continue to enjoy each other’s company.

I appreciate that they have a wonderful dad who continues to pour into them and provides the example they need of what being a man looks like, as well as grandfathers and uncles who are active in their lives and give them love and encouragement in the places that a mom’s voice just doesn’t cut it.

Having these two young men in my life is a blessing I will always cherish and when things get rough I’ll have these words to look back on and remember that somewhere along the way things went right!

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