3. You can’t protect me from everything forever.
Many women cannot imagine taking some of the risks they watch their boys try to take – climbing up the chain on the swing to sit on the bar over it, standing up and balancing on top of the monkey bars, or even jumping to the ground from there. It makes Mom’s heart stop before pounding right out of her chest. Some mothers can’t even conceive of letting their son do those things and do everything in their power to stop it. They’ll hover over (or under!) their son at the playground, follow him around the yard as he plays, and insist that he come down from there when he’s 2 feet off the ground. Like it or not, you have to let your son grow up. Part of growing up is exploration, testing boundaries, taking risks, and separating from you, his mother. He can only become independent when you give him space in which to make his own decisions and make his own mistakes.
4. Yes, I’ve discovered girls, but sex is not the only thing on my mind.
As women, we tend to have it drilled into us that the only thing men are looking for is sex – our fathers tell us that, our mothers tell us that. Maybe we’ve even had a man or two that used us just for sex. While our sons will start thinking about sex, and it will take up a huge amount of space in his mind, he will still think of other things. He’ll also wonder how to get girls to like him, why a girl likes that guy instead of him. He’ll think about his future, his education, dreams, and goals. While you should certainly talk to him about sex and protection and all that goes along with it, you should also find out what else is on his mind.
