This, was the strongly expressed sentiment of my looks like a teen, but a couple years to go daughter the other day.
“Anyway I hate boys!”
If I remember correctly the comment came at the tail end of a conversation we were having about her then upcoming first overnight school trip, away from home, away from mum and dad. I had just given her a set of rules to follow. You know ones like, always stay with the group, put your dirty clothes in one separate bag, make sure you brush your teeth before bedtime, don’t miss meals, and of course, DON’T GO OFF ON YOUR OWN WITH ANY BOY.
As the words came out of her mouth, in my mind I had just sung an operatic “Hallelujah!”, with a “thank you Jesus”, and a fist pump.
I of course couldn’t let on to what was going on in my head, so in the physical, I looked up to the sky to see if I would sight a shooting star, on which I could make a wish that would seal that thought and sentiment in her mind for the next 10 years, at least. 10 seconds later I sadly had to give up my quest after she asked me what I was looking at up in the sky. Drat!I followed up with , “Yes boys are silly. Don’t trust ANY boy. They tell lies”.
Now I’ve got a son whom I love very much, so I shouldn’t be talking like this. Honestly though if there was anything I could have physically done to cement that thought in her mind believe me I would have done it. So I continued to utilise (perhaps harsh) generalisation tactics.
“They’re ALL sweet talk, but don’t be fooled. It’s lies, ALL lies”.
I wanted to be sure I drove my point home.I’m naturally as calm as they come, but trust me I will seriously wound any boy who so much as puts a foot wrong, or neglects for a second to treat my daughter with the highest level of respect and value she so richly deserves.
So please help me mums with teenage daughters. How are you approaching subjects such as dating, boyfriends, dating, chastity? In this present tech age where kids are flooded with imagery from everywhere, and social pressures seem so much more intense, I’m thinking my approach……. might not be the best one. If you leave me I don’t want to hear ANYTHING about boyfriends until my daughter is at least 20. Hmmm, I go wound person o!
And for mums with teenage boys how are you prepping your young men to be the ultimate gentleman and solid husband material for my princess?