Dear Boy Mom – You’re Doing It Right

Mommas, we are doing it.

This is specifically directed at moms of boys, my soul sisters.

We are doing it. We are making a difference, changing the tide, righting the wrongs. Can you sense the shift?

I can. I sense it in many of the blog posts I read. You know, the ones standing up for our boys’ rights to have feelings, even when those feelings include tears. The articles showing our boys playing with baby dolls, and challenging the idea that it should be weird. The mom-blogs showing their handsome little guys wearing tutus, glitter, a pink shirt, or what ever damn shoes they prefer.

I can see the change even in the research being done. The research telling us our happy and satisfied men are multi-dimensional beings. They begin as boys who feel, and can show sadness, joy, excitement, pain, as well as anger. The scientists proving over and over that a securely attached humans should be the goal, regardless of gender. Showing over and over our boys need to feel seen, heard, and understood.

I know things are changing when I hear our conversations with our little boys shift from “man up” to helping them recognize, name, and then process their emotions. Or when I see another little boy at the park with pretty painted toe nails, because he spends the day with mom and wants to be just like her.

The change is happening mommas. Keep teaching, shaping, listening, and challenging. Keep holding your boys responsible for their actions and the outcomes. This isn’t work for the faint of heart, but holy work never is.

There is still so much work to be done, and if we look too far ahead, it starts to feel overwhelming, the goal seems impossible, and the journey feels pointless.

But take heart mommas, we ARE doing it. Stay the course. Keep focusing on those small bodies and their large souls. Our boys deserve better, and we can give it to them.

It’s a man’s world (for now), but it would be nothing without a woman or a girl.

We can change this world, one little boy at a time.