Chivalry, Part 5: Let Boys Be Boys

This will probably be rather short, as it's pretty late, and I am fighting myself to stay awake for some reason tonight. Last week, I mentioned about manhood and how Jesus is such a powerful example of true, unwavering manhood. We, as mothers, have a responsibility to teach our children about Jesus. Jesus was the perfect example. "A real man is one who: rejects passivity, accepts responsibility, leads courageously, and expects the greater reward...God's reward" (Robert Lewis in Raising a Modern-Day Knight). Tonight, the part about passivity kind of reached out to tug at my heart. Lewis talks about how boys are very adventurous and want to explore; as they become men, aggressive behavior seems to dominate their spirit. Only when it comes down to their spiritual and social responsibilities, does that aggressive spirit kind of take a back seat a lot of times. I know this may not make much sense....after all, my eyelids are drooping right now, but I've really asked God to help me to write the words He'd have me say, and this is what is standing out to me for some reason....

As moms, we need to encourage our boys to be explorers. Whether they're exploring in the grass for bugs, or exploring by climbing trees, or even whether they're exploring through reading, we need to encourage them to explore the world around them, the world that their Heavenly Father has created. Sometimes we can be so afraid of what might happen to them, that we don't foster that spirit of independence in them that they need....encouraging them to explore the world around them will only serve to make them even more curious about the One Who created it all. The other night, on the way home from Tae Kwon Do, out of the blue, Jacob started a whole conversation with me about the sun and the moon, and where they go when they're not in the sky? He had so many questions, and we just talked; it was one of those conversations where I didn't have all the answers to his questions, but we explored through conversation....it was wonderful! So, today, I just encourage you to let your boys be boys; let them climb that tree, of course, with a watchful eye and even a prayer maybe, but let them. See the look on their faces when they've accomplished something like that. They probably won't be able to stop talking about it the rest of the day. It will foster a spirit of adventure that will last a lifetime.

In teaching our boys responsibility, we should be letting our boys help us....let them help with household chores. I know in our house now, we have two bathrooms, and it's my goal to teach Jacob how to clean his own toilet. Yeah, I know, it's not a major thing (actually, it could be a little scary for me....yikes, Jacob with a toilet brush....not sure that's a good combination), but it's teaching him to take responsibility. Let your boys take out your trash....teach them to work in the garden and even wash dishes. These are all things that they need to know how to do some day, and in teaching them these things, we are instilling in them values. Plus, some day their wives will appreciate that we taught them how to clean a toilet and wash dishes.:)LOL
Anyway, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, and get your kids active in helping out around the house or even being more adventurous, even if it's in their own back yard.

Any thoughts/comments? I love to hear feedback....:) Stay tuned for more next week.