Boy Mom

To raise boys into men feels sacred & important. Maybe I overthink everything (I do), but maybe it’s because I feel the way society has (quite poorly) raised men so far is due to not thinking enough.

Im not a man-hater. I don’t think alllll men suck. Im aware there are plenty of women who kinda suck too.

At the end of the day, anyone that falls into the “they kinda suck” category sincerely falls into the: they’re deeply wounded & likely not working to heal.

2021 has been my most single year & I don’t foresee that changing anytime soon. The distraction of dating isn’t of interest to me anymore.

I keep thinking, “I’m going to wake up one day and they’ll all be towering around me…I don’t wanna wonder if I was present enough. I don’t wanna wonder if I taught them the basics of true respect, consent, self-awareness, kindness, humanizing others.”

Yesterday while weeding the garden I found myself telling them if they ever decide to have a girlfriend or someone they like, to always use kind words & only accept kindness in return. Don’t ever let someone fool them into thinking being mean or teasing = love.

One of them is obsessed with physical touch & im constantly reminding him he has to ask before he hugs people. The other isn’t a fan of touch & I’m constantly reminding him he can say no.

To my core, I want to raise kind men who don’t take advantage, who can genuinely own their mistakes, apologize, fight for justice & stand up to bullies, and see the human in each person (even the bully).

I think that means I have to keep doing those things too, right?

Raising kind & fierce kids demands I am awake to all the ways I’m not those things. Right?

Never imagined being a mom to 3 boys while single.

Here I am though, fighting to show up as best I can.

I’m the luckiest to be theirs.

Get ready for some of my fav photos ever from @frescavphotography

-Natalie Kristeen