Are You a Boy Mom?

By Amber Folkman
Are you a Boy Mom? Do you know any Boy Moms? If you are one or if you know one, much of this article is relatable.
I didn’t truly come into my role as Boy Mom until my third baby arrived and sealed the deal. We knew that it was to be our last and I thought for sure that we were going to have a girl. I had so many friends who followed the pattern of two boys, one girl, and I thought for sure this was my path. But when he turned up a boy, I didn’t feel sad. I was relieved. I already knew how to be a boy mom. I knew how to play cars, fight with lightsabers, and wrestle. Plus, we already had all the attendant gear which meant we didn’t need to spend a college savings account on cute girl clothes from Gingersnaps.

Here are five signs that you are a Boy Mom:

#1 Vehicles consume your life. I spend a significant portion of my day playing with trains, diggers, race cars, monster trucks, and jeepneys. I never envisioned myself owning an encyclopedia of construction equipment but I’ve somehow managed to find myself referencing it with my boys so we can discuss diggers, back hoes, and bulldozers. I even get excited to show my sons specific cars or equipment when we are out and about.

#2 You find an unexpected satisfaction in building a wooden train set. I do so much building as a Boy Mom. Through building with the boys, I have found that my brain feels stimulated! I gleam with pride as though I am a real engineer after I complete a legitimate track and my boys start fighting over who gets to play with Thomas or Percy.

#3 Two words: Star Wars. It is ingrained in boy code. When the saga entered our lives, I began to believe lightsaber battles would rule my life. I hadn’t even watched the whole series until two years ago. I was hooked and have fully embraced the geeky side. For goodness sakes, we even had a Star Wars family photo shoot. We will forever be a Star Wars family on Halloween.

#4 Computer games are super intense. On Fridays, I allow my oldest to play LEGO web games on my computer. When he gets stuck, he asks for my help and I become fully entrenched in trying to beat the level. From Ninjago to Star Wars, we work together to beat them all. I have also learned to swallow my pride as I watch my six-year-old son do better than me. Anyone else have this problem? My kid already has me beat in the gaming department.

#5 Most of the words you say and hear are potty talk. Do I even need to expound? As a mom, I was blindsided by how much poop there was in my life. As babies, it is changing their diapers, then potty training, and then finally you have arrived at potty talk. The poop never ends in motherhood.

Can you relate to any of these? What makes you a ‘Boy Mom’?