It’s a Boy Thing
“It’s just a boy thing” is a phrase I have often heard over the years. It’s often in reference to a multitude of parental concerns including injury at play, high activity level, impulsivity, organizational skills, and more. At the same time I have vehemently denied that gender is an excuse to justify behavior. I’ve heard the phrase tossed around to placate frustrated parents and normalize questionable behavior that would be considered unacceptable in girls.
We’ve went from active toddler, to active pre-teen, to teen. But things change after puberty. The voice deepens, renewed interest in girls, too lazy to bathe, dirty clothes, or lack of hygiene, etc. Everyone warns you about the trials of tribulations of puberty, but not about they wake up on the other side into their early teens (14-17). The attitude, (or badtitude as I like to call it) shifts and poof your beautiful baby boy is now a sloth.
The slow motion walk form the couch to the kitchen is almost painful to watch. It’s a paradox to my son’s 6 pack abs and shoulder twice the size of his waist. I shout “Run, I need you to hurry, run don’t walk.” His speed changes from that of a snail to a turtle. As a cornerback on his High school football team, he can not only run, but run fast.
And finally after commiserating with other Mom’s of boys, about the angst of teenage boys, I finally get it. It’s a boy thing afterall……