Monica Swanson: What Elementary -Age Boys Need Most from Their Parents

 

What an Elementary Age Boys Need Most from Their Parents

As most of you know, I love my teen boys, and the glimpses of manhood mixed with occasional remnants of boyhood that I see in them.  The teens years are what I call my reward for all of the hard work that came in the younger years.So, what about those younger years?  Many people have commented and emailed asking  “What are some things you suggest we do BEFORE they are teens?”

A good question indeed.

Because really, if you haven’t built a relationship of love and respect with your son when he is young, everything will be much harder when they hit their teenage years.

So, let’s dive in to the earlier years…One stage at a time.

Today we look at the Elementary years.

***For the sake of non-US citizens and us home school families who never know what grade we are in:  “elementary years” refer to the ages of  approximately 5 to 11 years old. :)***


The Elementary years can be such a sweet season, full of imagination, laughter,  snuggles, and questions…a lot of questions.   Major bonding occurs during the Elementary years, and most of us will miss these innocent childhood years when they are gone.


However, as far as our role as Mom and Dad go during the Elementary years…It’s a big job.  Hold on tight:

Because…If parenting in the teenage years bring to my mind thoughts of mutual respect, shared humor, and expanding freedoms, I would have to define parenting in the elementary years with things like teaching respect,  training in character, and not giving a whole heck of a lot of freedom.
(See why I started with the teenage years? A bit more fun, right? )

But the point I want to make is:  The reason parenting in the teenage years CAN BE so much fun, is because we have trained up boys in the younger years who are now truly pleasant to live with.  We have done the work.   Sure, there are personalities to take into consideration, and there is never a guarantee with kids, but I think as a general rule:  If you put in the work when they are young, you’ll reap the rewards as they grow up.


It’s not that the Elementary years can’t be fun…every stage can and should be fun!  But the elementary years are  the most important years to focus on discipline, character, and instruction.  Lots of instruction.  In fact, instruction seems to be woven into everything we do when our kids are young.  We give instruction on how to speak, how to listen, how to look a person in the eyes, how to answer the phone…It’s all of the stuff of daily life, but if we teach it when they’re young, it will stick.


So, here is a list of things that come to mind when I consider…


Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

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