Boys to Men

As I witnessed my oldest redirect his baby brother today, I realized that he is on his way to learning how to be a daddy one day.  Just last week, he was "playing house" at church and rocking a baby doll to sleep.  I am okay with this.  I think boys should play house, have an opportunity to be creative with a play kitchen, and have toy vacuum cleaners/brooms.  We will continue to foster his nurturing side so that he will be confident in his ability to be a great husband and to raise his own children one day.

We are responsible for turning two boys into men.  My  husband and I will be teaching them how to be great husbands and fathers.  My husband is a great example.  I am blessed to have a husband that shows affection generously and openly everyday, not only to me, but to our children.  He works hard and does everything he can to make sure we are able to live comfortably and want for nothing.  He also makes sure that we live within our means and never allows us to stretch ourselves too thin financially, emotionally, or psychologically.  He is our protector, provider, and cheerleader.  He is a devoted husband and caring father that is actively involved in our kids lives.  He is an excellent role model who shows them gentlemanly behavior daily.  He opens doors for me, carries the heavy bags of groceries in, and takes care of mundane household tasks like taking out the trash and mowing the lawn (chivalry is not dead ladies; lets not let it die out!).  Hubby also shares his love of cooking and takes our oldest grocery shopping regularly.  Our son knows that these tasks are not "just a woman's role." My husband prays with our oldest every night when he tucks him in.  This teaches him to fear God, to be thankful of every blessing, and to build a culture of prayer in the home. He leads by example. He is fostering the boys' love of building things and tearing things down, the use of tools, and exploration of all things nature (tonight, they watched ants eat a dead earthworm...).

We will teach all of our kids the importance of supporting each other, lifting each other up, praising others, forgiving others, and accepting differences.  They will learn that it is okay to make mistakes and to learn from them.  They will be encouraged to give 100% in everything they do and not back out of things they've committed to; not to give up when things get hard.  They will learn about integrity, honesty, and the meaning of being a true friend.  They will know how to express themselves in words, that showing emotion is okay, and that life can be hard but also wonderful. 

Our kids are learning how to be nurturing, forgiving, responsible, generous, and loving.  The use of good manners aren't just taught, but expected.  Nothing less will be tolerated.  We want them to be second nature and happen automatically.  Being thoughtful and considerate of others is so important in life.  They will be much more successful and respected.  I think encouraging them to be among the "good guys" and teaching them these values will ensure they will do the same for their own children.  It is a part of our parental legacy.