I struggled to find something to write about this month….do I write about the new ducks? Choosing homestead animals? Update on the garden? Pest control? There are many ideas floating in my head, but at the moment my mind is not on Homesteading.  Instead, my mind is fixed on how to train my children to be thoughtful, considerate, kind, loving and generous human beings.

I grew up with a sister and I had no idea what it was like to have little boys in the house.  God has a sense of humor though and blessed us with 2 boys and a girl.  To top it off, they have two boy cousins down the street, and 2 boy cousins out of state and the boys out numbered the girls quickly.  Add to that the fact that I babysit little boys and most days my house is full of yelling, fart jokes and someone crying because their teeth just got knocked out on their cousins head (true story).

I realize that “boys will be boys”, but I’m also learning that boys especially need training to be polite, considerate and loving.  Those characteristics don’t come easy to them (at least not the ones I have).  Sure my boys love to cuddle (even at age 10) and they prefer time with the family over friends…but their natural way to communicate and bond is through roughhousing, inappropriate jokes and amping each other up to the point of injury.  The other thing I notice is that there is a constant need to be “first” at just about everything!  First to brush teeth, first to make a joke, first to pick a bugger….a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g.  This leads to a lot of arguing over “who was first” and the result is a bunch of mean, insulting comments at each other.  Not so loving…

What’s a mom to do?  Well…. I continue to read the books on raising boys and on my best days I put the professional suggestions into practice.  However, our boys are bombarded with inappropriate joke telling, abrasive and downright rude TV shows.  Not to mention the political figures in our country can’t be nice to each other, or the sports stars, or the musicians…and they are supposed to be examples for our boys to look up to!

I know that what we do at home matters so much.  The influence we have on our boys in their everyday life has the ability to overpower the media and peer influences.  As I was searching for more ways to train my kids, I came across something so simple.  The idea to THINK before you speak.  Is what you are about to say True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary or Kind?  It so simple, yet so powerful.  It’s easy enough for my boys to wrap their heads around and put into practice.

I created my own version of the saying below.  The idea is so simple (thank you to whoever came up with it) and yet if we ALL followed these 5 simple rules before we spoke, the world would be changed.

To print click here: THINK chalkboard poster

Would you consider trying this in your homes and working together to make the world a better place?  Let’s raise kind, truthful, inspiring and helpful boys!

🙂 Mama Nice

Tagged: future, kind words, raising boys, taming tongue, THINK, think before you speak, training boys, training children