Raising Boys

So I have been reading this book on raising boys and find it quite interesting. Actually it gives me anxiety but it's better to deal with it now than be unprepared. It basically says boys are a handful and we just need to learn to love them for who they are. I can do that right? According to the book it is important for boys to find mentors amongst family and friends. Besides having a great dad as a mentor I plan on surrounding my boy with strong male role models that can help us raise him to be the best man he can be. Another interesting thing the book mentions is that boys go through a period of growth in their ear canals that causes a temporary loss of hearing. A good warning to not always assume they are not listening, they actually might not be able to hear you.

There is a funny section in the "Testosterone" chapter titled Brains Go Out the Window. There is a period of time where hormones take over making your boy dopey and disorganized. You have to act as his brains until he can get control over the changes. Testosterone is what scares me most about having a boy. But the book makes a good point. Just as a good husband understands his partner's PMS, a good parent of a boy understands his testosterone.

And last but not least, a boy's brain develops slower than a girl's so it is your job to help it grow as much as you can. This will obviously call for more patience on my part. I think in general boys call for more patience than girls but with understanding and preparation I can rock this boy thing.

Today I had this neat realization that this baby is a complete union of P. and I. I was looking at our ultrasound pictures again and realized this little boy is a mixture of our physical features, our talents and abilities, and our hearts. How special is that? We made him out of love and he is half P. and half me. I wonder how it will feel someday to look at our son and see ourselves. I will be so proud.