Raising Boys: No Greater Challenge, No Greater Joy

A while back, I was reading in the Old Testament about King David’s elite soldiers. They were known as “The Three.” Their exploits were renowned.

Fast forward to today. Meet “The Two.” Their exploits are becoming quite renowned as well. While they’re not slaying Philistines, they stake out other covert ops—like knowing just the right time to hit the Swiss Miss stash in the garage.

 
In Boys Should Be Boys: 7 Secrets to Raising Healthy Sons, Dr. Meg Meeker writes that everyone wants the kind of boys who run and play outside, building forts and climbing trees. No one really wants their son to camp out in front of video games all day long. So on one hand, we want our boys to be active and energetic; yet, on the other hand, that energy can—at times—drive us moms up the wall.

It is true that boys are usually messier, louder, and rougher than their female counterparts. Raising them requires much patience, and a good sense of humor. It takes a special kind of woman. If you feel like you’re not that woman now, take heart. God is using your boys—and the challenges you encounter--to refine you into a more holy woman for His glory.

While you’ll encounter many challenging moments as you raise your sons, you’ll also come across lots of gold nuggets. Little boys adore their mamas; they grow into teens, then men, who will fiercely protect you. They’ll pick dandelions for you and present them to you with as much pride as if they bought you a beautiful bouquet (in their mind, the dandelions are a beautiful bouquet). They love to pamper you, bringing you beverages and massaging lotion into your heels when they see they’re cracked and dry. You’re their best girl, until they find their wife.

But until they leave the nest, enjoy each day with them. As everyone says, it goes by so fast.

In the meantime, here’s some practical help for raising our boys:

• When they’re bouncing off the walls, send them outside. “But it’s the middle of winter, and I can’t send them out.” Yes, you can! Get them bundled up and send them out. They’ll burn off a little steam, and so will you.
• It can be easy to nag our boys about their boyishness. As much as possible, try not to.
• Take time to build close relationships with them. Do special things together. While I don’t agree with everything they say, I love Mike and Debi Pearl’s advice about “tying strings of fellowship.”
• Find the cute moments each day. Give those more weight than the times you find your boys covered in Swiss Miss brown (even though those times eventually become funny to you too).
• Pray for perspective on those hard days: Treasure your treasures!

“Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.” (Psalm 127:3).

(Visit Works for Me Wednesday for more tips on a bunch of subjects!)