Don't MAN UP.. Man DOWN

Who says boys need to be settled young men? My biggest pet peeve is to hear people tell their children to MAN UP. Our boys are told to be like a grown man, before enjoying being a boy WHY? Why is it so hard as a mother to allow your son to be dirty, creative, out on the edge. I wonder sometimes what these little boys who are told to MAN UP will think when they are men. Or even if they will want to be men when nothing but harsh words, and trouble comes with being told to be a man. We need to allow these boys, to be what God created them to be. Adventurous, daring and loud. Sitting still was not instilled in boys, playing quietly wasn't added in there either. learning from creation was, seeking new adventures was, getting down in the dirt was.

I was getting into the car the other day, as I did I heard elijah laughing hard and a farting noise coming from my truck. Micah had his arm up to his mouth teaching his brother how to make such wonderful bodily function noises with his arm. When I first saw, my first reaction was STOP it, then I realized they were being boys. Enjoying the fact they are boys. Finding ways to be gross and humorous all in the same moment. They weren't fighting and they were being kind to each other, so I let it go. I actually got in there with them showing Elijah the bigger the arm the louder the noise. We had a compitition on who could make the biggest farting noise,some good laughs,and good BOY time something all boys need. when it's mom 90% of the time, Mom has to be the one to encourage the boy in them.

I watch Micah surf almost every week, at home he's constantly bored and lives in his room reading. Get him out on that ocean and instantly a smile comes across his face, spark fills his eyes and his whole attitude changes. He is able to go out and conquer his WAVE,enjoy his time being a boy. He is able to have time between him and God, he's able to relax and let the stress of being trapped in a world that insist he be still and quiet leave as he's on that water with other conquers out on the ocean. Surfing for Micah is his I can do what I love, and do it as a please time. =). Ladies we must encourage our boys in a direction that allows them to be boys, allows them to have adventures, be conquers and save that lady in distress. I've learned most of what I'm putting into practice from a MAN that was once a boy, MY HUSBAND.

He constantly reminds me to find adventures, to find something they can conquer and they will be happy boys. He's the one that got me to realize that telling a boy to MAN UP does nothing but put a bad image of men in a boys mind. They want to be boys, they want to fight with their brothers for territory and power, they want to climb tress and jump backwards off that tree on to a trampoline for the rush. They want to find the biggest cliff to jump off of into the water. It's all about being a Boy that will one day be a young man, THEN A MAN.

2 good books to read as a mother and wife is " Wild at Heart" and " That's my son" it will help with the perspective on where this boy thing should be and how we as mothers can help our boys grow into wonderful young men. Or help our husbands continue through life knowing being a Man with man ways is ok.

This is something I am learning every day, and directing myself towards now that I have 2 boys in my home to raise. I want them to know it's good to be a boy or young man, and it's also ok to be still and quiet. Time and place for all things, but if I allow them their adventures and boyness then when it's time for the stillness they are more apt to handle it.I just need to release and learn to have fun with them. Not try to make them into my Gracie girl, but allow them to be boys or now young men. Help them find adventures and things to conquer, help lead them towards a happy, well balanced life... I LOVE BEING A MOM, but I sure can't wait till keith gets home so he can again start giving these boys some male time =).