Today I came across this humble post via twitter and thought it was worth sharing. While you may have other ideas to add to the list of  'rules' I thought this was a great start for moms/dads of boys, or kids in general, to keep in mind. We are our child's first teacher, cheerleader, role model, caregiver and friend. Make sure you teach them how to be a friend, cheerleader, teacher and role model to others. In today's society where morals are becoming a lost virtue, I think it is important that parents are there to teach these things, however some kids don't have the loving support in their home environment so it is important to help them find good role models and mentors out there.

One great role model, especially for boys, is Tim Tebow. While Tim Tebow takes a lot of media heat for his religious views and public displays of thanks to God, he is the kind of role model our children need. I only pray and hope my sons will be at least half the men he is. He is a strong leader, compassionate, giving, loving and a honest man, who enjoys sports and is a man's man as much as he is a ladies man. However, he is not your typical sports star, he is humble but thankful to our Lord and is not afraid to show it. He doesn't go around abusing drugs and using/raping women. He is giving through his time, charity and friendship. Therefore, if you are not able to teach your children well, at least be the adult role model they need, or respect those adult role models who can be there to influence good character in your children, after all they are our future.

With all the competing advice out there in Mommyland, sometimes it’s wonderful to sit back and read some wisdom that comes from the heart rather than the latest medical study or the “My kid is better than yours” school of thought.
That is definitely the case in this beautiful list from the blog Team Studer giving advice to the mothers of sons, but which can also be applied to the parent or guardian of any child equally as well. The author claims no expertise and acknowledges there’s likely to be plenty of disagreement out there as to her advice, and it’s that humble approach that makes these tidbits all the more easy to relate to.

Teach him the words for how he feels.
Your son will scream out of frustration and hide out of embarrassment. He'll cry from fear and bite out of excitement. Let his body move by the emotion, but also explain to him what the emotion is and the appropriate response to that emotion for future reference. Point out other people who are feeling the same thing and compare how they are showing that emotion. Talk him through your emotions so that someday when he is grown, he will know the difference between angry and embarrassed; between disappointment and grief.
Be a cheerleader for his life
There is no doubt that you are the loudest person in the stands at his t-ball games. There is no doubt that he will tell you to "stop, mom" when you sing along to his garage band's lyrics. There is no doubt that he will get red-faced when you show his prom date his pictures from boy scouts. There is no doubt that he is not telling his prom date about your blog where you've been bragging about his life from his first time on the potty to the citizenship award he won in ninth grade. He will tell you to stop. He will say he's embarrassed. But he will know that there is at least one person that is always rooting for him.
Read to him and read with him.
Emilie Buchwald said, "Children become readers on the laps of their parents." Offer your son the opportunity to learn new things, believe in pretend places, and imagine bigger possibilities through books. Let him see you reading...reading the paper, reading novels, reading magazine articles. Help him understand that writing words down is a way to be present forever. Writers are the transcribers of history and memories. They keep a record of how we lived at that time; what we thought was interesting; how we spoke to each other; what was important. And Readers help preserve and pass along those memories.

Full story at Team Studer.

While this is just a summary of the 25 rules this mom suggests, what are some rules you follow or would add to the list that have helped you raise your children well or you feel helped make you the best you can be?





©2008-2012 Patricia Garza

 

©2008 Patricia Garza

Posted by Patty Littlebytesnews at 12:22 PM blog comments powered by Disqus