Boy Mom Manifesto

I am a Boy Mom. My greatest goal as my son’s mom is to raise him to be fully prepared to launch into the world as a man, in every positive sense of the word.

As a Boy Mom, I am committed to investing in my son daily. I will . . .

1. Aim to establish and maintain a healthy relationship with my
son, one built on unconditional love, trust, respect, and grace.

2. Set the boundaries and allow the freedoms I believe to be best
for my son, regardless of pushback from him or pressure from
others. With God’s help I will discipline fairly, lovingly, and
consistently.

3. Lead my son into relationship with God through guidance and
personal example, pray for my son daily, and do whatever I can
to help him nurture a vibrant spiritual life.

4. Help my son establish a secure identity based on God’s love for
him and unique design for his life.

5. Focus on building noble character traits in myself and my son.

6. Surround my son with wise, positive influences and guide him
to make good decisions about who and what he allows to speak
into his life.

7. Show my son how to develop a healthy relationship with
technology, one that reflects our values and prioritizes relationships
and other healthy activities.

8. Create a learning environment in our home and be intentional
about motivating my son to learn and to discover his passions,
without pushing my personal interests or agenda.

9. Encourage my son to build the foundation of a healthy lifestyle,
introducing him to nutritious foods, encouraging treats in
moderation, inspiring him to be physically fit and well rested,
and modeling a healthy lifestyle myself.

10. Strive to give my son an emotionally healthy childhood, helping
him recognize and communicate feelings and be self-aware,
others centered, and community oriented. I will make sure he
knows there is no shame in asking for help, and I will provide
him with resources if he decides to seek counsel.

11. Talk openly with my son about relationships, dating, sexuality,
and love, teaching him to value and esteem girls, to develop
friendships, and to stay pure in his heart. I’ll pray for his future
wife and embrace my role appropriately as his time comes to
leave and cleave.

12. Raise my son to be a responsible, dependable worker and give
him resources and opportunities to learn how to handle the
money he will earn through hard work.

As I strive to do my best in all these areas, I will also give myself grace,
knowing that perfection is not the goal and that my son can learn even from my mistakes. Most important, I will enjoy my son. I will love him, laugh with him, and be present with him. For I know that though the days can be very long, the years are indeed short.

I am a Boy Mom, and I keep my eyes on the goal: raising the boy I love
into a man who will make this world a better place.

*Excerpted from Boy Mom: What Your Son Needs Most from You. Copyright © 2019 by Monica Swanson. Used by permission of WaterBrook, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.