Planning and Parenting

Our youngest has a cold... there's a great opening line.  Anyway, so we got up at our usual 4am this morning to deal with mucus and get a milk.  He's been fixated on Curious George and the rest of his ilk, while I've been reading "Boys Should Be Boys" by Dr. Meg Meeker.  The part I read today was all about the powerful relationships between mothers and sons.  Her premise is that since mothers generally see the best in their sons regardless of their actual beauty or lack thereof, they can help the boys believe that they are basically good.  Further, she believes that this belief will help their sons to connect with others in the world around them.  I find the book interesting especially due to the authors viewpoint as a physican, and a female.  She has a very practical thought process and seems to have a good understanding of the physological aspects.  One of mother's roles, according to Dr. Meeker is as the "Dispenser of Grace".  She defines grace as "love that is undeserved".  This type of love is especially powerful for boys during low points in their lives, such as failure, defeat, and degredation.  These experiences can devastate the male phsyche (I'm guessing it isn't much for for the females either...) but when the son feels loved by the mother at these times it teaches him "that goodness in being a man isn't all about his perfomance."  To me that is a powerful message about humankind in general, but especially in my role as a father, husband, and friend I can be aware of others at these "weak points" at hopefully let them know that they can "stand a bit taller" and "trust in himself as a [hu]man". Reference "Boys Should be Boys" by Dr. Meg Meeker