Raising a well-rounded son comes with a lot of challenges. Generally, they are more strong-headed, not-so-good communicators, and less emotionally intelligent. It sprouts the need for parents to be more intentional about their upbringing.
Now the question arises, how to raise a boy so that he grows up to be not just a good man but also a responsible and compassionate human being? Read on to explore the challenges of raising boys and find valuable insights on how to nurture their growth and character.
Challenges you face when raising a boy
It might sound a bit odd, but boys are both different and alike. They each have their own personalities, but parents often deal with the same kinds of challenges when raising them.
As a boy’s mom, you might face these challenges that make it tricky to raise him happy.
- Societal expectations: One of the biggest struggles parents deal with when raising boys is the whole “boys don’t cry” expectation society throws at them. It’s like, the moment a boy shows some feelings, he risks getting teased or made to feel like he’s doing something wrong. So, instead of letting it out, he might just bottle it all up, which isn’t exactly healthy.
- Rough play and aggression: Another challenge parents face while raising a boy, is handling the aggression and rough play as it gives them a sense of power and control. While rough play can help your boy understand and explore physical strength, it can have some severe side effects.
- Peer pressure: Peer pressure is something really serious for boys. So, as a parent, you have to keep an eye on their company and activities. Since boys are somewhat strong-willed, they might not listen to you easily. So, giving them the right direction at an early age is extremely necessary.
- Independence & Safety: Giving him independence at an early age is like a double-edged sword. So, finding the right balance between encouraging independence and providing necessary support is crucial. Otherwise, it is a slippery slope that can lead to spoiling, rebellion, overindulgence, and hyper-independence trauma.
- Social media influence: Social media, especially TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, is messing up with the attention span of kids and teens. They use these sites almost constantly, and it makes parents worry about their physical and mental health. Children who consume too much short-form content tend to be more agitated and face a hard time focusing on something.
Raising Your Boy the Right Way
Raising boys is one of the biggest parenting challenges that you can’t win just by reading quotes about raising boys online. Raising a boy is, undoubtedly, different from how do you raise up a girl. However, you can focus on a few aspects that can help you down the road and ensure that you do the right things on your part.
1. Understanding emotional needs
Instead of just hushing him when he is crying or throwing a tantrum, you should acknowledge his feelings. That’s the main difference between modern parenting and traditional parenting.
As a parent, you should be a safe space or comfort zone for them so they can tell you what they are going through. Show your son that it’s okay to express feelings. Share your own emotions in a healthy way, demonstrating how to communicate feelings effectively.
Another important thing that a responsible mom should teach him is to respect boundaries when expressing emotions. For instance, it is fine to be angry, but throwing stuff around or hitting someone in anger is not right.
2. Encouraging responsibility and independence
To make sure that your baby boy grows up to be a responsible person, you need to start giving them responsibilities at a young age. That’s what a responsible mom does to make her children trustworthy.
Teach them to do their homework daily, eat on time, and follow a proper bedtime routine. Time and money management skills are also important when parenting boys.
Above all, allow them to make some mistakes as they learn to do stuff on their own. It helps their self-confidence and self-esteem.
3. Balancing strength and sensitivity
While raising a son, you need to nurture both physical as well as emotional well-being of your kid to ensure that they are strong and emotionally mature. Make sure they follow a healthy diet, indulge in physical activities, and get sufficient sleep. While this may sound very basic, it’ll nurture their bodies and brains and help them recover from stress.
Try to have deep conversations with them. They might hesitate at first, but soon, they will feel comfortable enough to open their heart in front of you.
4. Building Healthy Relationships
Children learn by observing their parents. To instill the values of healthy relationships, you have to be honest in your relationships first.
Here are some tips:
- Show your family some love on the regular! Little things like saying “Love ya,” or leaving a cute note on the fridge are enough to feel valued sometimes.
- Discuss conflicts openly, and don’t hold grudges against each other.
- Take care of each other’s emotions and feelings. Respect privacy and give your family space.
- Actively listen to each other’s viewpoints in the family without taunting them.
It is also essential to make your kid understand that communication is the key when it comes to forming new bonds and relationships. Above all, make it clear that they can come to you and talk about their problems.
5. Teaching values
Boys raised by mums are true gentlemen generally. It is because a good mother always teaches her kid to be honest, have integrity, and be polite in communication. She teaches him to respect elders, women, pets, and his peers.
You have to invest your time and energy to raise him right. Let your son make age-appropriate choices. If he picks something, chat about how it turned out. Did it work? Did it flop? Either way, he’ll understand that choices have consequences.
6. Building up self-confidence & self-worth
Self-confidence and self-worth are the two things that’ll drive your kid to take on the hardest challenges of their life with ease. Praise and encourage your boy to do the right things. Don’t nag them all the time; instead, notice and appreciate when they do something good.
Let your kid take on some special chores around the house and handle things on their own. If they mess up, let them deal with the natural consequences. It’s how they learn. Don’t make life too cushy for them because, you already know, the world isn’t always kind. They need to build the confidence to handle tough situations by themselves.
These practices lay a strong foundation for how to raise a boy to be a man who believes in himself.
Final thoughts
So, are boys or girls easier to raise? Apparently, raising a boy can be slightly different from raising a girl, but the ultimate goal of the parents is to raise a child to be a human being who can lead a successful life while also being physically and emotionally healthy. So, with the right approach and a few expert tips, you can make sure that your little boy grows up to be the gentleman you want him to be.