Boys

I have been told that raising boys is easier than raising girls.

Cheaper too.

So far, I can't argue with cheaper. My boys don't need or want 50 pairs of shoes.  Haircuts are cheaper. Clothes are not a major issue with them. No headbands, hair bows, make up, or purses. Anything we have spent on the boys up to this point, we could have just as easily spent on a girl.

It's the "easier" part that I am not so sure about.

Just now I asked the boys what they were doing.

Them:  "We are playing a way better version of Rock, Paper, Scissors."

Me: "Oh yeah?  What is it?"

Them: "It's called Sword, Fist, Gun."

Awesome.

That pretty much sums up one category of raising boys.  A peanut butter sandwich is formed into a gun.  A stick becomes a sword. Popsicle sticks for "craft time" are taped together to become a knife.

{Sigh.}


Earlier this morning, I was cleaning out the coat closet by our front door.  Sometimes I find very interesting treasures in places such as these.  Today's treasure? Dirty underwear.  In the coat closet.  I.do.not.want.to.know.why.


Yesterday I found this.

  

There have been many moments when I would have thought my son grew up watching Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor on Home Improvement (More Power!).  Here's proof.  That is one seriously amazing turbo booster.  He is now able to fly to the moon in that shirt. 

He has a blue shirt just like this with a super hero cape (an old towel) attached with velcro.

I wish I were kidding.

Helpful hint: Velcro does not come off once it is stuck to the writing on a t-shirt.

The past two days my youngest has been outside for many hours playing with a snake.  

Yesterday he walked into the house to ask for a drink of water and was HOLDING THE SNAKE IN HIS HAND.

I am not exactly sure what my response was, but I think the neighbors might be able to tell me.  It may have gone something like, "GET.THAT.THING.OUT.OF.HERE.RIGHT.NOW!"

I do realize that I cannot claim all of these things as only "boy issues".  I know a pretty amazing girl who could out-snake-charm my son any day.

I still hold strong to my claim: Raising boys is not easy.  They answer deep, conversational questions with words like "fine" or "good" or "I don't know".  They never want to shower or brush their teeth. They want to wear the same clothes four days in a row.

I do not understand these things.

But, I can deal with them. And if I'm really honest, I would much rather throw a football around the yard than play with dolls, and shooting baskets in the driveway is much more appealing than playing dress-up.  There is probably a good reason God gave me boys.

A recent conversation with a friend made me realize that there is something about raising boys that terrifies me more than snakes, dirty laundry, and smelly bedrooms.  It is the fact that the world desperately needs more honorable, respectable, godly men. This world needs men who will cherish their families, stand up for what is right, and spend time with their children; men who will be leaders in their churches, their homes, and their workplaces. 

This is not a slam on males in any way.  It is also not an excuse for women to sit idly by and expect a guy to do everything.

But the role of a man...of a husband...a father...a grandfather...is so, so important.

Anyone can raise a "boy".

My prayer is to raise godly men.  

And, in the mean time, to keep my house snake-free.