Poor Sleepers

My dear friend Jo is having trouble with her youngest boy's sleep - he doesn't! I remember, without much fondness, I must add, how the first 2 years of Robbie's life were the same. Appalling! I tried everything I had done with Alex, but the same did not seem to work... I think the biggest mistake I made in hindsight, was to be too nervous of letting cry or moan even a little, in case he woke my hubby (not good!) or Alex, my older son. Now that Robbie is only two and a half, it seems like a distant memory, but it was just 6 months ago. It shows you how easily we forget, until we are reminded. Strength and patience to you, my friend. When you're in it, it's awful!

My Mr Men - Mr Impossible and Mr Adorable

My four year old son is being impossible! And I am at the end of my tether. My usually well behaved, obedient (for a four year old) and often disarmingly charming son has turned into a monster. Tears, tantrums and embarrassing displays of bad behaviour seem to be the order of the day. I keep telling myself "This too shall pass..." But, when?

On the other hand, my two and a half year old is being adorable. This, of course, does not help matters much. The other day we were driving past St Davids Marist Brothers school. The school is currently closed for the holidays and the pigeons were taking advantage of the peace and quiet to forage for goodies on the playing fields. Robbie said, "This Ali's (Alex's) school?" "Yes", I replied. "Naughty birdies," he said. "Why?" I asked. "Cos they playing soccer on the field," he replied with a grin. Alex and I roared with laughter. This age is so special. There is not much a child misses, even at the ripe old age of two!

My Top 10 Goals for this Blog

1. To provide a social networking site for mom's of boys to share their stories, challenges and 
2. To learn more about the "world of boys"
3. To better understand the highs and lows, opportunities and challenges faced by parents and caregivers of boys
4. To have at least 10 active and loyal followers and contributors
5. To express myself as a mother of boys
6. To chronicle the life and activites of my family and friends
7. To promote the beauty, wisdom, uniqueness of boys
8. To build an audience around the topic of boys
9. To elicit a wide range of excerpts and comments regarding boys that I may use in workshops I have under development and, ultimately, a book I'd like to write about raising boys in South Africa
10. To have fun! and be stimulated as a primarily stay-at-home mom

So, there they are - My Top 10 Blog Goals

Share your stories!

"One of the best things in the world to be is a boy; it requires no experience, but needs some practice to be a good one." Charles Dudley Warner

I am passionate about the world of boys. Now that I have two of my own, I am fascinated about their development, what makes them tick and when. What do they need most from their moms & dads, aunts & uncles, grandparents, teachers, coaches and peers? What can we do - one boy at a time - to break the cycle of abuse and rape against woman, bullying, inappropriate initiation headlines and to turn our boys into good men, husbands and fathers?

Please share your stories and photos about the uniqueness of your boys!

I'm so outta touch with girls!

Despite being a girl, having a sister and four nieces, since having two boys of my own, I have lost touch with girls. Yesterday I had to buy a present for a three year old girl's birthday party. I was lost! did they still like Barbies? At what age? Brats? Hannah Montana? The brands were all familiar but were they still relevant and at what age did they start and end?

Now, if it had been a boy's party, no problem! I am well versed in Thomas The Tank Engine, Ben 10, Spiderman, Superman, The Incredible Hulk, Cars, Graders & Trucks! 

When did this happen? When did I lose touch with the childhood likes and dislikes of my own gender?

The Wild Ones

Is it just me or are boys insanely wild? They seem to occupy every square inch or garden, house and playground! It reminds me of the following by Emile Rousseau:

You are worried about seeing him spend his early years doing nothing. What! Is it nothing to be happy? Nothing to skip, play and run around all day long? Never in his life will he be so busy again!