Raising Boys to be Masculine

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Raising boys is a very special job. I'm honored that God would see fit to bless me with two little guys to mold and teach to hopefully one day become soldiers for His word.

It's very important to me that they embrace their "boyhood". The world is feminizing our little boys and teaching little girls to be more masculine.

I remember seeing a J.Crew ad with the company's president and her little boy. She had painted his toenails pink and stated that she was lucky her son enjoyed it. While conservatives tried to slam the ad, mainstream media declared "So what? It's just painting his nails." I don't think so.

There have been a couple of times in the past when my oldest has walked into the room when I was painting my nails. He stuck his hand out like he wanted his painted too. I told him, "No. This is something that girls like to do. Little boys and big strong men like Daddy don't paint their nails." He accepted this and went on his way. He was simply a three year old interested in what his mother was doing at the time.

Notice how I told him about his "big strong Daddy"? I tell him all the time that he needs to finish eating so he can be big and strong like Daddy. Little boys naturally want to be just like their dad. I often ask him, "Can you please help me move this laundry basket? I need somebody big and strong to help me and Daddy is at work?" He comes running to help me and tells me how strong he is and shows me his muscles. He'll often tell me, "I'm big and strong like Daddy" or "I'm big and strong like Papaw." He wants to be manly.

I also want my boys to have a clear picture of a feminine woman. I want them to see growing up that a woman can embrace feminity and enjoy it. There is clear gender distinction in our home. Their dad is the bread winner while their mom is the bread baker. Daddy does the outside work while Mama cares for the things of the home.

Daddy also wears the pants, figuratively and literally. I don't demean my husband or talk badly about him to our sons. I have heard lots of women complaining to their kids about their father. This is a definite way to go to get your kids to disrespect him and not want to be like him. Kids will learn as they get older that Mama and Daddy are not perfect; we don't need to point out these imperfections to their little minds that are soaking up EVERYTHING.

Wearing modest dresses and skirts around our my boys is giving them a physical picture of a feminine woman. I'm not saying there's no way to be feminine in a pair of pants, but I don't know anyone who will argue that a woman looks more feminine and tends to act more feminine in a skirt. I can bake a cake or play catch in a dress. I can do laundry or play on the floor with Hot Wheels in a skirt. I can stay girly and do these things with my sons despite what the world says.

They say, "It takes a village to raise a child." I've seen the village, even been a part of it, and I definitely don't want it raising my boys. If we ever have a daughter, I won't want it influencing her either. The most important lessons they will learn for life come from right here at home.