Isn't this true!

I admit that I am raising a BOY. He is not completely wild, but he is definetely different than raising a girl. I have been struggling with how to teach him responsibility and initiative. He could honestly care less. He is a great kid, very generous and compassionate. But do not ask him to clean up his room, take something upstairs or put his clothes in the laundry! His idea of cleaning his room is to shove everything under his bed and then take it all back out once the vacuming is done! ha ha. It has been quite a struggle. It is to the point now that if he hears the word responsibility, he cowers and will not do anything that you have just asked him too.

for example: "noah take these toys up to your room"

no response

"noah, we need to clean the house up for daddy"

a small look and then he hides his head

"noah you have go to learn some responsibility in your life and learn how care of your own stuff!"

sounds of little feet running away as fast as they can!!!

Now this is not because we are horrible parents and have never made him obey or taught him respect. This is part of his make up. He will learn it eventually. A friend of mine suggested that we read "Wild at Heart" together this summer (how is that coming J?) I have made it into the first half of the book and already I feel like I am gaining a new respect for the male species! I now try to make his "responsibility" lessons something that he can relate to. His new love is spy stuff. So now we go on missions to return things to base and search out the next object to retrieve! Night vision goggles and all. When he helps me clean I find tasks that make him happy...like standing on the bathroom counters to squirt the glass cleaner! It is all about being creative in making them think they are not doing what you told them too....boy style!

The benefit from all of this research has been that I know view Thad differently! I respect his need to sit in front of the computer for days on end playing some war game that I would not have the patience or desire to do! I respect that he needs to claim the yard as his.....his property, his house, his work. It has been eye opening to view men out in our world who are no longer men. They dye their hair, do their nails, dress like metro's. What happened to the real men? Do we put them down for wanting to conquer, to invade, to just be men. I was listening to Brad Paisley the other day...'I'm still a guy" and thought that he hit that song right on the head. Men are not Men! Then as I was blog searching today I saw this post http://praiseandcoffee.blogspot.com/2008/07/july-giveaway-and-tsbo-tuesday-let-your.html

I know that many of you already read her articles, but this one really spoke to my heart. everything that I have been pondering. I know this has been a long post and I could go on and on. Thinking back to women's retreat several years ago where suzee spoke about loving our men and the prayer list that came from that. which i did for several years, but have stopped. This is on my heart right now and I just wanted to share it. Thanks for listening.