Male Role Models for Boys

Susan_Frost

Is it just me, or does any other mum who has brought up a boy on her own to be a reasonably ok young man get fed up with the excuse that boys who are badly behaved did not have a male role model.

Mine did not have a grandad, or uncles, or any other male who particularly cared. We had our little ups and downs but he has turned out ok.

I love him to bits, but I have always treated him with respect from day one AND EXPECTED THE SAME BACK FROM HIM.

Not sure what I am wanting from this post. Just felt I needed to say it.

memelalou

I have to agree but with the a different example - my cousion is raising his daughter alone, and he has had to put up with comments it's not 'natural' as she will grow up without knowing about being 'female' {periods, relating to women, clothes etc}, and she needs a women in her life.
He seems to get comments varying from this to that he is such a hero for bringing a child up alone. He's neither he's just a man who is doing his best to bring his child up and for most part doing a good job, like the rest of us he struggles occasionally. Ofcourse it would be ideal to have your mother/father in your life, but it's in the raising the child what is going to make them a 'good' adult.

DX2

memelalou wrote: »

He seems to get comments varying from this to that he is such a hero for bringing a child up alone.

I never did/do understand the hero status a bloke gets when they raise their kids without their mother, a mother raising kids without father usually gets slated to the hilt but a bloke is a hero. Nothing like double standards

Susan_Frost

Thanks for that Memelalou. Yes, I guess single men get the same, too.

freyanneke_2

Thank you for raising a son that can be a role model to other boys.

mummy_Jay

I'm bringing my DS (6) up on my own, I get lovely comments about how polite and respectful he is, and how much he loves reading and learning.

But I think children do chose a role model themselves not always from within the family, my DS choses to be like David Tennant or Matt Smith, cos he wants to be Dr Who when he grows up). When I was little I wanted to be like my sister.

So IMO kids don't really need a parent of the same sex as long as they are brought up with love and taught manners & respect but the one time it would have helped was when it came to teaching my DS to pee standing up.