Boys will be Boys.....

My husband and I decided to read through James Dobson's book called "Bringing Up Boys" together as our evening devotion together. Last night one particular paragraph stood out to me. I always knew that boys were rambuctious, and as Joseph was a toddler and doing things like jumping off the coffee table or climbing up whatever he could get his hands on I was thinking this was normal boy behavior. Some people told me otherwise.... and although I did discipline him and try to keep him for doing things that hurt himself, it just seemed in his nature to do these things. My son samuel at the age of 2 and 1/2 decided to color the living room (see earlier blogs!) Sometimes i wonder when my boys are bouncing off the walls, if this is normal.....Well check this out....

Pg 4 (excerpt from book)

" one of the scariest aspects of raising boys is their tendency to risk life and limb for no good reason. It begins very early. If a toddler can climb on it, he will jump off it. He careens out of control toward tables, tubs, pools, steps, trees and streets. He will eat anything but food and loves to play in the toilet. He makes "guns" out of cucumbers or toothbrushes and likes digging around in drawers, pill bottles, and mom's purse. And just hope he doesn't get his grubby little hands on a tube of lipstick. A boy harasses grumpy dogs and picks up kitties by their ears. His mom has to watch him every minute to keep him from killing himself. He loves to throw rocks, play with fire, and shatter glass. He also gets great pleasure out of irritating his brothers and sisters, his mother, his teachers, and other children... As he gets older, he is drawn to everything dangerous-skateboards, rock climbing, hang gliding, motorcycles and mountain bikes. At about sixteen he and his buddies begin driving around town like kamikaze pilots on sake. It's a wonder any of them survive. Not every boy is like this of course, but the majority of them are."

So far what I gather from the rest of the chapter is Boys WILL be Boys and that my job is to help them turn their God given energy, and risk taking and fearlessness and help them to use it for God. I can't stop them from being boys and i wouldn't want too... I am here to guide, instruct, and love. So if my house looks like a tornado hit it, if they come home and i can't make out who they are because of the dirt... if i have to keep telling them on the playground to quit trying to jump off the highest point of the jungle gym.... i'll be ok. I understand there are boys out there completley opposite of this, but it does make me feel good that when my boys have their moments of craziness, I know that for generations boys have been like this, and that we will all be ok. Looking forward to seeing what adventures are coming up!!! And as we are reading this book.... I will continue to share with you the things I am learning....