As mothers, we enjoy to nurture our children. It’s innate. Part of who we are.
If a child falls, we quickly come to their needs and cradle them in our arms. If someone hurts their feelings, we hug them and let them know that they are loved.
As mothers, we also shelter our children to protect their innocence and well being.
After all, they’re our babies and there’s nothing wrong with showing our children we care for them and will do everything within ourselves to be there for them.
However, as a mother with two boys and two nephews, it’s easy to forget that God has given us a special calling.
A call to raise our boys to be leaders.
In our society, it’s easy to waterdown this responsibility. We’re living in a country where boys are expected to be quiet and still.
To sit alongside others to gently talk and express their emotions. Rambunctiousness is not allowed.
At such a young age, these expectations are unreasonable. I don’t know about you, but my boys can’t keep still.
My boys are loud. Really loud.
They roar like dinosaurs. They crash and they zoom. They take on every character imaginable and especially love to fight the good fight.
With swords, cowboy guns, light sabers, and super powers; these boys conquer the world.
In spite of play, I need to constantly remember that we’re also raising future husbands and fathers.
Boys that will need to lead in their homes.
I am blessed beyond belief that my husband is a take charge kind of guy.
He’s a leader in our home that ours boys admire and seek to be just like him.
Dad leads in prayer. Dad opens the door for mama. Dad holds mama’s hand. Dad thanks mama for dinner and gives her special squeezes to let her know when she’s appreciated.
Dad helps mama clean. Dad reads scripture with the boys at night giving them hugs, kisses, and tells them I love you.
They also witness in arguments and reconciliation. They see us come together, repent, and pray for strength that only God can provide.
I am especially grateful that in anger, my husband never humiliates me, calls me names, or ever lifts a hand. An example that I pray my boys will follow as well.
Are we raising these boys right?
God only knows.
Gabe and I just put our faith in God and cling to this scripture.
Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.Proverbs 22:6
We pray for leaders, thinkers, bold, and strong. Boys that will love their families, lead them, and seek God.
For now, let them play.
Let them be wild. Let them be loud, adventurous, curious, and free.
Show them the love of the Father. The love of a husband. The love of a brother.
Let them take charge, show them responsibility, and the rewards of a job well done.
Most importantly, tell them I love you.
Dear God, thank you for this special responsibility. I pray, Lord, that these boys will be leaders in their communities and in their homes. That these boys will love you and seek to live under you. It can be so difficult, Lord, raising these boys. My prayer is that you continue to give me strength, patience, and love to raise them to be bold and strong so that one day, if they are called by you, they will know how to answer. I put my faith and trust in you, that one day I will be proud to call my boys, men. In Jesus name, Amen.
Great post mama.
Excellent post! We recently found out we are expecting our 1st litte boy–our 1st 2 are girls, so a boy in the house will be a new experience for us! I have been praying for the men that my daughters will choose for husbands and I pray that they will be strong leaders-Godly men for my daughters. Now I am praying that prayer for my new son and you are right–they need to see this behavior at home 1st! 🙂
We can’t all be leaders, or we would all be pulling in different directions. There’s nothing wrong with being a follower, especially if you’re following Don Chuco.
Also, boys can be sensitive, artistic, and have feminine interests. That’s beautiful, too. Motherhood is all about balance; there’s a time to nurture, nurture, nurture, and a time to let them struggle, struggle, struggle.
You’re so right Heather. They can’t all be leaders outside of the home, but have the discipline to accept authority. However, in the home, each man is called to be a leader of his family under God. It really does take that to keep a family going these days. I pray for that, for my boys.
Balance is definitely needed as well. My boys are very creative. They love the arts including cooking, painting, photography, and building. A little bit of everything 😀
Diana, I have never met you but see your wonderful husband in the gym most weekday mornings. He always impresses me as a man who is guiding his family in the way of God but your post confirms that! And now I have a reason to LOVE you too! These are the words I would like to shout from the mountaintops about how we are raising our boys in this country/society. We emasculate them by not letting that innate adventurer/mischief maker/explorer come out so they can grow to be the warrior they are meant to be. We hear of these young men who even have a term named after their condition – Failure to Launch – who can’t get out and manage away from their parents let alone have and guide a family. Bravo to you and Gabe for letting your “boys be boys” and trusting in God that they will be the men that He has destined them to be! Parents like you are our inspiration in changing the current trends and getting back to a more natural state of being! May God Bless you both abundantly with patience and perseverance and enjoy them for now as they grow up WAY too fast – speaking as a mom of “boys” who are 36 and 37, raised as yours are being raised, thanking God that they both survived their wild and adventurous youths to become good husbands, fathers and friends! And may they get a chance to practice their loving, caring and giving sides with their precious baby sister! 🙂
Deb, thank you so much for that comment. You made me cry 🙂 Raising kids is so hard, so it’s always encouraging to hear from seasoned parents that have the wisdom and experience. Sweet hugs!
That was beautiful!
Love your blog! Loved this post! I am a mom to three awesome boys and I share the sentiment of your post about raising boys. Loved this in particular: “Let them be wild. Let them be loud, adventurous, curious, and free. Show them the love of the Father. The love of a husband. The love of a brother. Let them take charge, show them responsibility, and the rewards of a job well done. Most importantly, tell them I love you.” God has blessed us richly, even on the difficult days 😉
Love this post. I shared this with my sister & friend both of whom are raising boys! I appreciate that you write honestly about your boys being loud, being climbers, being explorers, being super heroes, & describing the way they play. It is the truth & it is real & refreshing. I think it is wonderful that you allow your boys to be boys and kids, giving them the experience of a great childhood by letting them enjoy the things children should. The things that make us well rounded adults & productive members of society are attributes taught by & learned from family & family environment. What & how children learn from their parents and family environment affect the way they themselves will be as parents & adults. If we can raise our children to be leaders they can keep the cycle of love, truth, & respect going, passing along morals & values to each generation. From what I can tell about how you & Gabe are raising leaders, I just hope I am around to see the wonderful things these boys do as men. Great job Diana 🙂