A Husband in Training

" Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6

I came across a blog the other day that captured my attention and got me to think. It was a blog about raising boys and in the middle of the blog she wrote, "we are raising someone's husband." That little phrase got my mind to spinning. She was right, absolutely right!!! I am training Joshua for his future wife. What a huge responsibility that is to carry, but how awesome it will be to see the young man that he turns out to be.

Joshua has two sides( no, not like Jekyll and Hyde). He has a side that is all out boy and then he has the sensitive, caring side as well. What a great combination to have. He can be rough and tumble and yet he can also be compassionate and loving. I think it is good to teach your child, especially a boy that it is ok to show emotion, no matter what it is. There is a way to express your emotions in a healthy way as well. Having an emotional side makes for a well rounded individual. Right now, we are in the process of trying to teach Joshua how to express his anger in a healthy way. It's a long road, but we are getting there. He hits out of frustration or anger and we are trying to teach him that while it is ok to feel those emotions, it is not ok to hit or throw things. You can verbally express how you feel and we will respect that. Like I said long road. Here is something that was also mentioned in the blog that I thought made perfect sense. "Never discipline for something you haven't taught." I am sure you are thinking well, duh but I have got myself disciplining instead of teaching a few times. Everything is new to them and everything is a learning process.

In raising my son, I want him to know that a marriage is a partnership. Nothing is wrong with the man cooking the dinner or doing the laundry or cleaning toilets, just like nothing is wrong with a woman mowing the lawn or taking out the garbage. I realize that when the time comes, he and his wife will sort it out how they want, but I want him to be knowledgeable on everything. He has a great example to follow, his daddy, Dan! Kudos to daddy's parents for raising such a wonderful man. Dan and I will do our best to train him in the right direction and always let him know that we are there for him, even when he becomes someone's husband.

"Motherhood is an investment not a sacrifice."