Raising kids in a condo community can be challenge, but you might be in for a rough ride if you’re parenting boys. Boys can be more easily agitated, and more prone to physical conflict. At the same time, girls are more advanced when it comes to communication. With this, how can parents make sure that their sons turn into sociable teens, and later on, responsible adults, especially while living in a condo in the Philippines? Here are 11 things you’ve never thought you’ll do until you had boys!
Buying so much superhero costumes
Photo Courtesy of Kuanyin via Pixabay
Boys will always be obsessed with superheroes. They will idolize them, and their interest will probably carry on until adulthood. Beyond the cool powers, these comic book characters will become your sons inspiration to do good, so encourage it. With that, don’t be surprised if your son insists on wearing his Batman costume everyday for a week. A closet that can handle all those costumes should definitely be on the condo checklist for new families.
Researching information about Dinosaurs, Cars, and MineCraft
Prior to conceiving a son, most of your dinosaur knowledge was probably limited to Jurassic Park. However, these interests help them hone some serious cognitive skills. They’ll know all types of prehistoric creatures, and can name every automobile by brand, model, and horsepower. Raising boys means that you have to be able to relate to their interests, so step out of your comfort zone and get to know a little bit more about these topics, too.
Being okay with your kid playing guns
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A lot of boys will, at one point, develop an interest in guns. From nerf guns to playing Call of Duty, it’s a highly likely hobby for males. While you may not agree with the violence this may encourage, it’s pretty much inevitable. What is important during this phase is that you guide them and warn them about the dangers of real guns.
Repeating what you just said so many times
What To Expect says that boys are born with less sensitive hearing than girls. Science has proven that the brain’s capacity for verbal processing flourishes faster in girls. Basically, this boils down to the fact that boys are just not good listeners. Therefore, parenting with boys calls for you to constantly sound like a parrot.
Getting so much exercise from parenting
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According to Thomas Matlack, boys love pointless physical activity. If your family is living in a condo, make sure there’s enough space and outside amenities for them to play. While this may tire you out as well, use this to your advantage. Your sons are hyperactive by nature and you may end up running around after them for hours. However, when the day ends, you’d rather have them exhausted than energetic. It will help you put them to bed quicker, plus you’ll get a good workout.
Going to the emergency room on a regular basis
With all that energy, expect them to get a few scratches and sprains once in awhile. Boys are more inclined to engage in rough play, whether it’s on their own or with their friends. Unless it’s a major injury, don’t let this concern you too much. While it’s a parent’s natural instinct to worry, your kids will also learn the importance of dusting themselves off and getting back up again.
Have such a stinky bathroom
Condo living sometimes means shared bathrooms and no matter what age they’re in, boys will always stink up the toilet. This will be a real pain for mothers and sisters, but it’s just something that you’ll have to accept. No matter how much you clean it, or tell your sons to practice proper hygiene, getting rid of that “boy bathroom smell” is a task that is nearly impossible to achieve.
Telling someone to stop touching their private parts
This may be a more awkward topic for mothers, but it’s a natural male instinct. Boys are fascinated with their private parts from birth. When these babies grow into toddlers, they’ll flash their “things” to just about anybody. A solution? Give them something else to keep their hands busy with.
Coming into school so frequently
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It’s often said that boys are smarter than girls. While this topic may cause tension between genders, this is statement is actually inaccurate. While men have been proven to have an intellectual advantage over women, their mental ability doesn’t kick in until after puberty. For parents, this means that your son is more likely to have trouble in school. Don’t worry. Hopefully, it won’t last.
Setting up Playdates
The benefit of condo living is that you have a community within the condominium that you can easily tap into when your kids need a playmate. With that being said, boys are less in touch with their feelings, and can find it difficult to develop more intimate friendships. So, sometimes, they’ll still need mommy or daddy’s help. Without forcing an interaction, set up natural situations where they can engage with other kids their age. To help you out, you might want to read first some parenting tips for raising more sociable kids.
Lastly, you never thought you’d be receiving so much love
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Boys may have difficulty verbalizing their emotions, but they’ll show it in their own more physical ways, such as hugging. While they’ve got a rugged facade, they’re also very sweet. In fact, boys love their moms. So if you’re the female parent, lucky you. So if you’re raising boys and you feel like you’re in doubt, hug it out!
At the end of the day, while boys can sometimes be more troublesome, the hurdles you encounter are incomparable to the amount of love you’ll feel. When times are tough, just look at the great son you’ve raised and keep on being the great parent that you are!
