Comments on: Boys! http://www.mommyofmany.com/2011/09/04/boys/ Doing the Dance of the Children Sat, 05 May 2012 16:38:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: Susan http://www.mommyofmany.com/2011/09/04/boys/comment-page-1/#comment-4304 Susan Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:04:17 +0000 http://www.mommyofmany.com/?p=3621#comment-4304 Normal boy stuff. You've likely already tried, but send them outside or give them a project to build/work on. Ask them to paint a... pot, table, paper... Tell them to set up an obstacle course or have a push up contest or wash the van or even just to set the table or run around the house finding laundry or collecting shoes - the boy with the most items put away wins! My grandfather, who had my father and his twin brother, and my uncle who was just a couple years younger than them all in the same house together, used to send the boys out to the backyard with a couple of shovels, point at a place in the ground, and tell them to "start digging" whenever they got to the point where he felt things might get out of hand. They had to dig until he came back. He'd drop a shovel in to see how far they'd gotten and let them know if they met his expectations or not. This was his way of harnessing their unending energy (boys!!! augh!!!) and keeping them out of trouble with neighborhood boys. They got him really good one day. He told them he was going to go to the store (he usually took a couple of hours because he'd go and smoke with buddies, etc) and that they had to dig "right here" and he'd be back to check on their work later on. They gathered all of the other neighborhood boys and went crazy digging that hole. When my grandfather came home it was dark, and (they love telling this story) the look on my grandfather's face when he dropped in his shovel and it didn't make a sound for quite some time was totally worth all of the sweat and hard work they put into digging that one amazing hole :O) Your backyard may not be good for that type of energy harnessing, but maybe something like it will help! I've been sending mine out to climb trees and scooter around because otherwise their bouncing on my couches or leaping from their bunk bed! Little boys are awesome. So different from girls, but so awesome. Normal boy stuff.

You’ve likely already tried, but send them outside or give them a project to build/work on. Ask them to paint a… pot, table, paper… Tell them to set up an obstacle course or have a push up contest or wash the van or even just to set the table or run around the house finding laundry or collecting shoes – the boy with the most items put away wins!

My grandfather, who had my father and his twin brother, and my uncle who was just a couple years younger than them all in the same house together, used to send the boys out to the backyard with a couple of shovels, point at a place in the ground, and tell them to “start digging” whenever they got to the point where he felt things might get out of hand. They had to dig until he came back. He’d drop a shovel in to see how far they’d gotten and let them know if they met his expectations or not. This was his way of harnessing their unending energy (boys!!! augh!!!) and keeping them out of trouble with neighborhood boys.

They got him really good one day. He told them he was going to go to the store (he usually took a couple of hours because he’d go and smoke with buddies, etc) and that they had to dig “right here” and he’d be back to check on their work later on. They gathered all of the other neighborhood boys and went crazy digging that hole. When my grandfather came home it was dark, and (they love telling this story) the look on my grandfather’s face when he dropped in his shovel and it didn’t make a sound for quite some time was totally worth all of the sweat and hard work they put into digging that one amazing hole :O)

Your backyard may not be good for that type of energy harnessing, but maybe something like it will help! I’ve been sending mine out to climb trees and scooter around because otherwise their bouncing on my couches or leaping from their bunk bed!

Little boys are awesome. So different from girls, but so awesome.

]]> By: Kristen http://www.mommyofmany.com/2011/09/04/boys/comment-page-1/#comment-4276 Kristen Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:38:07 +0000 http://www.mommyofmany.com/?p=3621#comment-4276 LOL! You knew I had to answer this one!! So much testosterone around here...Yes, it's probably ok to step back a little, and allow at least one area of the house for rough-housing, etc. School and sports give them a good outlet, but they will still rough each other up. Even Joe - my "nice" son - can be vicious with the wisecracks among the bros. I think a little Lord of the Flies action is inevitable One more thought.... My autistic youngest sometimes will obsess about something and need parental help to get redirected so he doesn't drive the others insane. That dynamic always needs watching. LOL! You knew I had to answer this one!! So much testosterone around here…Yes, it’s probably ok to step back a little, and allow at least one area of the house for rough-housing, etc. School and sports give them a good outlet, but they will still rough each other up. Even Joe – my “nice” son – can be vicious with the wisecracks among the bros. I think a little Lord of the Flies action is inevitable

One more thought…. My autistic youngest sometimes will obsess about something and need parental help to get redirected so he doesn’t drive the others insane. That dynamic always needs watching.

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