7 Reasons Raising Boys Is The Best!
Speaking as a former tomboy, I’m pretty sure I was always more suited to have a son. I liked playing rough and being outside, and getting dirty was a must for me. Maybe because I was so boyish, I never really believed the there was a difference between little girls and little boys, we were all just kids. Or maybe it was because I was never treated like a princess growing up, but now as a mom and being around both genders, in a different role, I totally see the differences.
Today I prefer to refer to myself as a Tomboy in Heels. Deep in my soul I still like getting dirty and playing rough, now I just do it in heels. And always with lipstick on, don’t forget the lipstick! Although I have definitely softened with the birth of my son (of course that was almost seven years ago now) I can keep up with him at all levels of his six year-old masculinity.
With that being said, I have no problem admitting my bias for boys and I do think there are some universals in boys that make them awesome!
Number 1 – They aren’t afraid to play with worms. Why don’t girls want to hold a soft, fleshy, wiggling, tube like … Oh, I think I get it now.
Number 2 – Forehead kisses. With their awkward little arms clumsily wrapped around your face, super sweet!
Number 3 – Getting caught up in a full-fledged shoot-out while playing cops and robbers is awesome! And nothing beats flopping on the floor reenacting a dramatic end to the game. Over and over.
Number 4 – They give the Best compliments. That kind of little boy truthfulness compares to nothing.
Number 5 – Forts! Enough said.
Number 6 – Wrestling turns to hugs in an instant. This is the best workout and the most fun you’ll ever have, and throwing around a laughing ball of 50 or so pounds is definitely a workout.
Number 7 – You can play Star Wars anywhere! “These are not the droids you’re looking for.” See, anywhere!
Raising boys is the best, enjoy them now, because they’re tomorrow’s men.
Dipstick
Recently, Azul, my six year-old and I were having an intense candy conversation. Like most kids he loves candy and has tried a wide variety of the hyper-inducing nectar of the gods. So, he is well versed in types of candy, but had a question regarding powdered candy, he seemed to be confused as to what it was. In my attempt to help him I said, “It’s like the stuff you use with the dipstick.” I am not a huge candy fan and put little effort into remembering the details, either a name or a description, not both, that’s all the effort I’m putting into that topic.
Following my compelling description, he looked at me with raised eyebrows, rolled his eyes and replied, “Fun Dip?”
Look who’s the dipstick now. Uh, yeah, it’s me.
The Perfect Meet The Teacher Gift
When it comes to my son’s education, everything is new to me and I always feel like such a dimwit around the other parents who have done all this before with their older children. Azul is my first and I am constantly playing catch up with the other parents. I’m such an amateur, but play it off perfectly I’m sure! Uh huh.
He is now moving into the First Grade, which seems crazy enough, but not as traumatic as it was last year with him starting kindergarten. With all day school under our belts I felt as if everything was under control, and at the end of last year, there was even an end-of-year BBQ for the kids, teachers and parents, and I made it a point to introduce myself to his new first grade teacher. Of course things couldn’t be that simple and we found out two weeks before school starts, there would be a new first grade teacher and we could meet her at a Meet the Teacher event. I have never been to a Meet the Teacher event and didn’t realize there was protocol when attending. Mostly, I didn’t know I had to take a gift to the new teacher. I truly thought my child would be enough of a gift, apparently not.
This “gift for the teacher” thing seems a little like playing teacher’s pet, but okay I’ll do what we’re supposed to, and if we are going to be kissing up before school even starts we’re going to do it right.
What does a teacher want anyway? Well, against my best judgment, I decided not to take the open bottle of wine I had found, even though it was almost three-quarters of the way full. Wine was off the list, so I guess I’ll have a glass and keep thinking. My next idea was flowers. This might be going somewhere. What if we made flowers? That might be cute and show off Azul’s ability to color and kiss ass at the same time.
This is what you’ll need:
Box of pencils to use as stems
Flower templates
Crayons, markers or pencils– anything you want to use to decorate the flowers
Hole punch
Small vase
Step 1 – Search for 3” flower template on the internet. There are a ton of options to choose from, print them out and have your child color the flowers and cut them out.
Step 2 – Punch two holes in each decorated flower, one lower than the other and weave the stem (a.k.a the pencil) through.
Step 3 – Place your beautiful bouquet in a vase or vessel, maybe add a bow and a tag welcoming the teacher.
You have just made the perfect Meet the Teacher gift!
Carmelina Hart 