Raising all boys is challenging

January 26, 2021 Adrienne Brown 12 Comments

Do you ever get emotional when you think about your mothering days?

I do all of the time. You may think that I am weird or somehow overwhelmingly emotional but I just enjoyed raising my boys.

But after raising all boys I am left with a void that is so hard to fill.

Sometimes I stew over things that a lot of my other mom friends claim to push to the side. At least that is the impression some of them like to put out there.

Not me, I don’t mind being vulnerable when it comes to reminiscing about my full-time job as a mother to all boys.

I cherish every day that I had to parent them.

Yet, my husband and I are at the point in our lives where nearly all our sons are gone from the proverbial nest.

We have one school-aged son still at home and a baby girl that we adopted later. She is not officially ready for pencil and paper yet, though.

But, the age difference between the two children makes it seem as if we only have one student left.

Raising all-boys required some serious scheduling

The days when I was responsible for managing the schedules of four boys, are behind me now.

Yet, the thoughts about their busy schedules enter my mind and just sit there for a while. Almost too long, so I push the memories away so that I can go on with my today.

How I miss the busyness, and the joy of having my boys all at home, at the same time. Those times were tumultuous, rich and sometimes kinda dangerous.

Why, I can remember having to put out plenty of their fires, fiery attitudes, fiery playing, and literal fires.

Like the time they decided to experiment with a can of spray paint.

I walked outside, just as the flames shot from the nozzle towards the leaves lying all over the yard.

Good thing that the boys were standing. This kept the flames high enough that it never reached the leaves. Otherwise, we would have had a serious forest fire.

There are many stories like that one. Stories that make me chuckle when I think about them. Oh boy, I am glad that we homeschooled.

I know that my boys would’ve gotten detention or jail for that stunt. This is definitely, another reason I look back upon those days with a grateful heart.

Memories that only a mother of all boys can understand

Like how the boys always took care of me, once they were big enough.

Whenever we went grocery shopping during the day or to the library. (As we attempted to check out all the books on the shelves).

I never had to pack the grocery bags, nor did I have to lift them to put them in the car. I rarely ever carried the library bags or pumped the gas.

My husband trained my sons to care for me so well that to this day I feel spoiled rotten.

When I think about that, it makes me type ‘Lol’ I am laughing out loud with thankfulness.

Because I realized that my mothering job was much easier because of the way that their Dad had trained them.

You know, my one son who is still home, treats me the same way. The amazing thing is, he also, takes care of his sister in the same manner

What mom wants to lose that royal treatment?

God has blessed me with wonderful sons. One day they will make wonderful strong, leaders, and husbands that can be trusted to do the right thing.

Raising all boys with no regrets

It is hard to find any regrets for choosing the life of a stay at home, homeschooling, crunchy mom.

I hold that season very dear and embraced it as my calling while it lasted. Some friends say that this is a time when I should be enjoying having a near-empty nest.

Yes, I am looking forward to a new season, but I loved the time of raising my children so much, that I will truly miss it. 

Our youngest son is racing towards the finish line, he will be out of the nest in a mere two years. We are working hard to help him find his way, as committed parents are supposed to do.

Yet, it is a hard thing to see your babies fly off into the vastness of this world.

Still, we believe that when you truly embrace the charge given you at any season in your life, that God will give you peace and cause His grace to shine upon you.

Hopefully, my words will encourage young mothers to enjoy their children and find a way to ease the load.

My husband and I have been successful in raising all 8 of our children using these methods. I have shared more of our journey in my book. Check it out by clicking the picture.