You know, I’m a boy. Maybe you are or maybe you raise one or maybe you know on in passing. The bottom line is that boys are very different than girls. I know it all…very well.
Raising boys is an adventure to say the least. From insects to climbing trees and countertops to everything in between, boys love to be active. They also love to fart, hit things, and get annoyed at the drop of a hat. They are very similar to me in many ways. They could be considered to be animals, unbridled and controllable animals. Understand…this is not an inaccurate statement. Don’t feel bad saying or thinking it. Let it go, let it go…you’ll feel better, plus honestly is always the best policy isn’t it?
Here are just 10 of the many things you could/should/will soon know about raising some boys.
- Little Boys Smell – around age 3 you will start to smell that boy funk smell, it just happens. The smell is comparable to maple syrup combined with sweaty feet.
- Turning Random Objects into Toys – a stick will become a sword; watch out for your eyeballs. Pots and pans combined with kitchen utensils will soon become a musical orchestra.
- Dirty Fingernails – boys fingernails will often be full of dirt and grime, leaving you with a constant need for nail trimmers and the constant yelling of “go wash your hands”.
- Boys Move Constantly – these little bundles of joy won’t stop moving, as soon as they learn to walk, forget it. You will soon never need an additional form of exercise again.
- You Need an Extra Set of Eyes – boys have a knack for getting into anything and everything, born with this huge curious nature, they will test and push every limit possible on a regular.
- If Dad Did it, They Will Do It – doesn’t matter what it is, if I do it, the boys will soon follow suit. If I don’t hear “but Dad did it” one more time, I will be okay with that.
- Roughhousing – boys are born with this natural instinct of wanting to rough house. No matter what you do to deter this, it is simply part of their being, learn to tolerate it and marvel at it.
- Pee Will Be Everywhere – no matter how old the boys get, they will forever be missing the toilet and you will soon need to learn how to disinfect your bathroom after every use. It’s actually amazing. You won’t believe your eyes or nose, but it’s constant and it never seems to change.
- Goofballs – boys will always have this innate ability to make you laugh, no matter how hard you are trying to be stern. Learn to control the urge to laugh or else you are doomed. Farting, burping, and nose picking will become completely commonplace if you give the slightest thought that you think what they just did was awesome (which is was).
- Boys Love their Mom – no matter how cool of a Dad I am, the boys will always love their Mom as if she is a Queen, that’s just how it is. It’s good for the times they want to tag along with her to the store or when they want her to change a diaper. Learn to not be offended. Embrace it, baby.
While raising boys can bring a whole new level to parenting they really are a bowl full of fun, never a dull moment and always able to turn an angry moment into a funny one. If you are raising boys too, all I can say is learn to enjoy their little quirks and buy them a helmet; to wear at all times. Embrace the chaos, embrace the savageness, embrace it all while they are still young and you can laugh about it (they’re too young to be arrested, right?). In short…you can’t beat it.
