These are four of the last six pictures I’ve updated of Asa on Instagram.
Is he all-boy or what? Bows and arrows, boxing gloves, pocket knives and weight lifting! As I write this we have a ninja sword and a toy rifle in our car.
With every year that my little boy grows older (only 22 more days left of 4 years old!) and with every statistic and weird going-on, I get more concerned…and fired up about raising a boy.
A boy! What do I know about boys? How beautiful and mysterious and crazy that God would put a woman to nurture and raise husbands and fathers. I feel ill equipped to do so.
I have stacks of books I want Lydia to read and heroes I want her to know that will help her understand what being a godly woman means. But what books, music and adventures show a little boy how to be a godly man? More specifically, inspire him and get him hungering after being a man of integrity? A rebel to the worldly norm?
I don’t have any big take-home for this post. It’s just something I can’t get out of my head this week. I even started a I Want My Son To Be a Man Pinterest board for ideas, resources and inspiration to raise my son, my precious, sweet, mama’s boy who will one day replace me as the main woman in his life, who will hopefully have daughters that push me even further down the list. Right now, this board is a prayer for me as I prepare my heart and my son for the leadership and life God has planned for him.
If you have a suggestion or resource about raising boys, I’d love for you to share them in the comments so I can add it to this board!
affiliate links included
Heather says
Boys! I love my little boys and too am excited {ok and nervous} about raising them to be godly, strong men who lead their families well and have an impact on the culture!
I shared my top 10 ADVENTURE books to build a boys faith a while back.http://www.heatherhaupt.com/2013/05/21/adventurebooksforboyfaith/
Looking forward to following your new pinterest board and gleaning new ideas for these 3 boys of mine!
oh amanda says
And don’t worry, I’m following all you boy-moms with older boys to see what you’re doing, too! 🙂
Thanks for the link! I’m adding it!
a
Sarah @ loved like the church says
My boy isn’t even 2 yet, so I’ve no clue as to what I’m doing. Hahaha! However, I am incredibly thankful that God gave me a husband who thinks 10 years down the road. Cause when I read statistics on porn and boys, I panic and go “OMYGOODNESS HE’S GOING TO BE POISONED F-O-R-E-V-E-R!!!!!” my husband just rationally lays out ways to be talking to our son (even now) about how to treat women and love the Lord above all else. Like I said, thank sweet Jesus I married that man. And while I know that things will change as he gets older, and certain tactics won’t work, yada-yada-yada, I know that ultimately God is in control and that we can trust Him when we submit our parenting over to Him.
oh amanda says
You are so right, Sarah. I hope I didn’t sound like it was up to ME to raise Asa. My husband, dad, brother and father-in-law are/will be the leaders and models of modeling godly manhood. And clearly, it’s not even up to them–God will honor our attempts to raise Asa for Him.
But I think I get the same as you wailing about boys in our culture. I just feel like there is more to “help” lead girls out there than there is boys. Is it just b/c I’m a girl that I think that?
Anywhoo. Praying for OUR boys today!
a
Sarah @ loved like the church says
Oh, no, you didn’t make it sound like that at all. I was just saying I can get so freaked out thinking it’s up to me, when ultimately it isn’t even about me {or my husband} but God {who uses us}.
Keep up the good work mama! 🙂
Enid says
I feel more overwhelmed at the complex little creatures that daughters are, and I wondered if you could do a post on some of those ideas & resources you mentioned you have for Lydia. I have found it easier to find heroes for my boys, everything for girls seems fluffy & princess-y and lacking in substance. I’d love to get some of your ideas! (My girls are 5 years and 7 months).
Nerida Cuddy says
My boy is like Asa, loves being a wild macho-man… you wonder where it came from! I recently read an old biography of Wilfred Grenfell (misso doctor to the Labrador Coast, late 1800s). He was such a crazy adventurer I knew my boy (7) had to ‘know’ him… We read it as a family & it was excellent. There is a series of books called Ten Boys who… (made history/used their talents/didn’t give in/changed the world) and of course the Ten Girls who… (did the same)! Raph has just started one as his 2nd ever chapter book, & he likes it. Finally, Steve Biddulph is an Australian author, educator & psychologist who has a great reputation. His books Manhood, & Raising Boys, are excellent & helpful for parents. (He has also just written Raising Girls, haven’t read that yet, but I’m keen to).
Another great issue for us to think about, thanks Amanda.
Nerida Cuddy says
Sorry the Ten Boys & Ten Girls series is a Light Keepers set, put out by Christian Focus Publications
Amelia says
Hal and Melanie Young came to our local homeschool convention this year. They wrote a book called Raising Real Men. Their website is http://www.raisingrealmen.com. They have great audio workshops, as well. I highly recommend them. They’ve raised 6 boys and 2 girls. They are so encouraging.