Advice on raising boys

Question

My first child, a little boy is due on the 25th October and I cant wait.

Any words of wisdom or advice? What are your experiences of raising boys? The positives and negatives? Tell me your stories; good or bad, funny or sad.

Answer 1

be firm but fair with them my son is now 8 yrs old and knows im the boss but likes to push his luck still an example is the other day walking back from town my son was climbing on a wall he has done it loads and every time i say be careful you will fall but hey he thought he knew better and did it anyway within a minute he had fallen off he just said i know should have listened,so give them warnings but they still need to learn

enjoy the experience of a boy they are so funny growing up

as for the baby years they arent much differant to girls

good luck and al the best

Answer 2

I have two boys and a girl and I can say hand on heart I have found my sons to be such a pleasure to have my daughter was hard work right from the beginning and it's only now, as she's getting into her teenage years I have found her to be easier to be around. I always wanted all boys never a girl although I'm happy with what I've got. Enjoy your son !

Answer 3

I've had 4 children, 3 of them boys!! and I can tell you that there are a range of stages you will go through!! One word of advice is always stick to what you say!! for example if you say that they are not having sweets that day, then don't give in LOL, boys soon work out how to twist mummy round their little finger Ha! ha!

When they are small, boys are very loving, then as they get  to about 5 or 6, they become little devils LOL, this is when you need to be firm!! then from 14 to 18, their hormones take over and my god yu just better watch everthing that breathes ha! ha! then all of a sudden they turn into the most considerate young men you that you will look at and feel very proud of them and yourself for doing such a good job!!

Good luck with your son, enjoy every moment with him!!

Answer 4

Try and let them use up their energy every day.

Answer 5

i have a son who is 5, but i'm also a teacher, so i know a bit about both boys and girls. this is just generally speaking, of course, but:

boys are sweet, sensitive and so loving.  in my opinion, it's easier to raise a boy than a girl.  at school, when i have to correct a boy, i do it and that's it. if i correct a girl, she'll be grumpy and crying all day long. also girls are jealous, and bullying in girls is very sophisticated and psychological. if boys fight, they argue and punch, and then after half an hour they're best mates.  girls can make another girl's life a trip to h**l and back!

also, girls are nicer to dress, you find lots of clothes,shoes etc.. with boys it's always jeans and tops or tracksuits and snickers.  you can't experiment much with boy's hair, for example.

girls tend to mature before boys, but they also tend to become more cunning and manipulating than boys, who remain innocent longer. boys lie less than girls, but they also "invent" stories more than girls. it's not lying, it's when they invent whole stories.  not just mean little lies.

of course, as i said, this is a general explanation. however, as a teacher, when i teach a class with majority girls...it's more difficult than when the majority are boys.

Answer 6

Probably the first time you will really laugh is when changing his nappy and he wees straight up into your face. You will get the hang of waiting to completely take the nappy until off after the fresh air has done its work lol!

I love my boys. I found them to be so much more loving than my daughter was.

Congratulations and happy parenting!

Answer 7

Here's the thing. As a girl (even as a tomboy) you're going to be surprised by some of the things they do and the way they think. They most likely aren't going to like to sit still for long. They like to get inside of things to see how they work. They like to tease, get dirty, not appreciate the museum of fine art, tell stories about hitting their uncle in the nuts infront of your grandmother, play with themselves, talk about their privates like there the best things in the world, sneak candy, and they are so easy to love!!!!! Those all may be generalizations but my boys are definitely boys. They make me tired and they make me wince when we're out in public and I love every minute of it. Just remember that they are who they are and they usually don't go out of their way to make you sigh, it's just the way it is. Good luck!

Mom to  an 8 1/2 year old boy and an almost 4 year old boy

Answer 8

ok i have a 1 year old firstly he will be your little boy so forget about half the c**p that  health vistors tell you to do, go with your instincs and your common sense but i will agree with one thing that health visitors will say and that is put your baby to bed awake because my baby boy i really a pain wen it comes to bed times because he does not know how to go to sleep on his own. i also breast fed my baby for the 1st 6 months of his life and he is a really healthy and from that we have a really close bond so if you havent already considered it you should, i found it really hard at first but after the first 10 days it became esier and i stuck with it its a bouns as well wen u see the weight dropping off fast from breast feeding. good luck anyway hope you have a good birth and everything will be great!

Answer 9

boys like to hit stuff with sticks and throw things. it's genetic.  you have to accept this. teach them not to do it indoors or where it's gonna hurt people, but give them an outlet for their more agressive and competitive tendencies through sports etc instead of violence.

also little boys don't ask for affection as much as little girls do.  they probably won't just come up for a cuddle after they're about six years old, but that doesn't mean that they don't need cuddles and kisses.  don't do it in front of their friends (they'll get embarrassed), and don't take it personally if they squirm and pull away when you cuddle them sometimes - it's just macho pride, it's not that they don't like affection or they're rejecting you.  on a related note, boys tend to say they're ill when what they mean is that they're unhappy about something.  in the male mind, it's ok to be cuddled when you're not well or you've hurt yourself, but not the rest of the time.  whenever i've been looking after boys, a hug and a little chat can often cure the most grave of illnesses and injuries!

Answer 10

I have a 6 yr old daughter and 4 yr old son- the differences amaze me sometimes! The things boys are in to (trucks, cars, trains, hammers,etc) seem to be genetic! LOL also, he climbs on, jumps off, etc things my daughter never even thought to! So advice- baby proof, baby proof, baby proof! :) But as rough and tumble as he is, he is also a major snuggle bug and such a love! So don't ever go to the "boys don't cry" side of things- boys are just as if not more sensitive than girls, they just show it differently sometimes. So hold him, kiss him- show him all the love you can, and maybe even more importantly, have Dad do the same. Dad is the major role model of how boys "are supposed to be" and by him showing affection to his son, your son will learn to be affectionate as well. Congratulations, it's a wonderful journey!

Answer 11

There are no negatives.

Everyday they grow, roll in mud, climb up trees, try and eat bugs, pretend to be animals, but you know what I wouldn't have them any other way.

The best thing is they all grow up to be Mummy's Boys, & I love it.

Answer 12

The first 18 years are the worst. After that it's a breeze.

(Don't worry - you'll be fine!)