Raising Boyz...

I grew up in a household where the ratio of females: males is 3:1. I am the daddy's gal and my dad is a gentle man, stubbborn as a mule sometimes, and has all the absent minded traits of a male at times... which sometimes aggravates my mum and us no end, still he is one good man.

So when i hear that my second kid is gonna be a boy - i am not sure how i can cope.. now i am thinking of raising a few GOOD men.. howz.. The ratio in our family will now be 3 males: 1 lone female (ala me and not counting momo..)! Hubby and I were hoping for a gal to complete the family.. And not withstanding that, we now have to now crack our brains to find a nice name that goes with Yap Bao - X (all contributions welcomed), having a second boy is really giving me quite a bit of jitters..

I went to buy a book "Raising Boys" to try and understand what it takes to parent 2 boys.. what are boys' needs and what kind of childhood will help mould them into gentle, responsible and charismatic men? Hubby is an only child, so a household of 2 boys will be a novelty to him too..

Well, it seems like having an important role model in form of a dad is critical from 6 yrs onwards, and having a community/ mini society that will nuture him into living with others, will help from age 14 onwards.. well the book cites anthropological references to age old tribes who understood this concept betta than us modern man - SO that's why there were those rite of passage for boys to move into manhood, and they are mentored by tribes elders (as opposed to parents).. sor des....

well.. the good side of this is I will always be the QUEEN and Princess in the family, by virtue of my gender.. i shall teach the boyz to pamper me (that is before they start pampering their girlfrens) and i figured i should never have to carry the grocery bags, fix the lightbulb and do any of those elephant tasks with 3 men around the house.. hmmmm... sounds nice doesn't it.. :) I wish!