Being a parent gives you shared experiences with millions of people around the world, but when you’re the Mom of a boy, you get entry into an exclusive club of boy Moms – and the experiences the members of this club share are different from the girl Moms!

When you’re the Mom of a boy, you have the privilege and responsibility of raising a kind, responsible man of tomorrow, and while it can sound challenging, a few tips can make it easier!

10 Things You MUST Know as a Mom of a Boy

1. Good Touch and Bad Touch

When we think of sexual abuse, we tend to think of the victim as female. However, when it comes to children, boys are as much at risk as girls. The WHO states that 1 billion children are estimated to be sexually abused around the world. The CDC claims that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys are subject to abuse in the United States.

This goes on to show that as the Mom of a boy, it is important to educate your child about good touch and bad touch. Many parents find this a rather awkward discussion to have, but you can take help from books and videos. Here is a handy chart that can kickstart the conversation with your child.

2. Boundaries

As your son grows, you’re likely to find yourself asking some questions regarding boundaries: Is it okay to change in front of my boy? Should I start closing the bathroom door even if he gets scared?

The experts differ in their opinions on this topic. Some think that exposure to adult nudity at a young age might cause kids to become sexually curious before they’re ready. Others think that focusing too much on modesty makes sex taboo and can lead to a fixation on it.

I think this is one of those things that differ from parent to parent, but the general consensus seems to be to go gradually. By age 4-5, most kids start developing a sense of privacy, and this is a good time to establish some boundaries and start closing that door!

3. Gender Sensitivity

Should you worry if your boy loves wearing pink or playing with dolls? Absolutely not! It’s 2025, and it’s high time we put these outdated ideas to rest. I believe that as the Mom of a boy, I have to take the lead in this matter.

Encourage your child to do whatever he loves, regardless of societal gender norms. At the same time, if your boy loves trucks but his friend likes playing with dolls, teach him that it isn’t something to be made fun of. If everyone just let people live their lives in peace, the world would be such a lovely place!

4. Handling Emotions

For centuries, boys have heard people say to them, “Boys don’t cry!” or “Man up!” The result is generations of men who don’t know how to handle their emotions, burdened by the armor of toxic masculinity.

Just because boys appear ‘rough and tough’, doesn’t mean they don’t get hurt. They’re human beings, after all! Encourage your boy to vent his emotions in a healthy way, rather than bottling it all up just to explode in anger one day. Don’t let other family members humiliate him when he cries; let him know that it is perfectly normal and nothing to be ashamed about.

5. Hygiene

This is something all boy Moms will agree – boys are notorious for being disgusting, and loving it! However, hygiene goes beyond being presentable to society; it’s also about health. Teach your boys to wash their hands after using the toilet, after coming in from outside and before eating or drinking anything.

Another important aspect for boys is care of their genitals. All boys are born with a foreskin that covers the head of the penis. If your boy is circumcised, this foreskin is trimmed back so that the head is exposed. In an uncircumcised boy, the foreskin remains firmly attached to the head of the penis. Over the next few years, the foreskin gradually becomes detached and can eventually be rolled back or retracted.

For the first year of your baby’s life, all you need to do is wash his general diaper area, including the outside of his penis. If you try to pull the foreskin back early you can cause bleeding, tissue damage, or scar formation.

As your baby gets older, you can gently test the foreskin to see if it rolls back. Clean underneath with soap and water and then slide it back in place gently. As your child grows, show him how to do this by himself so it becomes a part of his daily routine.

6. Etiquette

At a certain phase in their lives, all kids love being silly and enjoy physical humor, but boys take this to the next level!

Be prepared to hear tons of potty humor – jokes about poop, farts and boogers. However, this may not be acceptable in a social setting, which is what kids need to be taught. Before you’re going to an event, remind your child that it is not appropriate to pick their nose or fart loudly in front of people.

This is also a good time to teach boys about bathroom etiquette. Show them how to pee straight into the bowl, and not spray everywhere. Remind them about keeping the toilet seat down, and as they get older, not leaving hairs all over the place.

7. Chores

In many cultures around the world, girls were taught household chores from a young age, while it was considered unnecessary or ‘unmanly’ for boys. Of course, we’ve come a long way from that, but there is still a marked inequality in the distribution of household chores today.

Encourage your boys to learn basic life skills as soon as they’re old enough. They can start small, like sorting the laundry, setting the table or picking up stuff. Increase the complexity as they grow, so they’ll be fully capable of taking care of themselves by the time they’re adults.

8. Respect and Compassion

Every child needs to learn to be kind to animals and to respect people regardless of their socio-economic status. However, boys have something extra to learn – to respect women and their opinions.

With the explosion of toxic male influencers on social media, this has become absolutely crucial today. Tell your boys that girls are just as smart and capable as them. Teach them that when someone is saying something or giving her opinion, she shouldn’t be interrupted. Share with them examples of amazing women who’ve achieved great things in every field – this book is a great starting point.

9. Showing Love

It is such a heartwarming moment when your bouncy toddler boy suddenly runs to you and plants a big fat kiss on your cheek. However, you’ll notice that as they grow, these moments become fewer. And when you lean in for a hug, they go “Eww, Mom!”

It’s the same when it comes to conversation. Your three-year-old will talk to you endlessly about his new TV show, but your thirteen-year-old will make you wonder if he’s taken a vow of silence!

Teenagers do tend to appear more detached than young kids, but this is more pronounced in boys. So should you just back away and give them space? Well, a little!

Continue talking to your teen and asking him how his day was, even if all he does in response is grunt. Try to take an interest in his activities and friends, without nagging or being overbearing. Yes, it’s a delicate balance, but it can be done!

10. Letting Go

This is one of the hardest things all boy Moms go through – letting go! However, this is one of the most important things you need to know as the Mom of a boy, so you can both have a healthy relationship in your adult lives.

Boys naturally tend to pull away from their parents more than girls as they hit adolescence, and it’s hard to experience. But the worst thing you can do at this stage is keep clinging to him – it’ll only create problems in his future relationships.

Make sure you have other strong relationships in your life; with your spouse, siblings, friends and others. This way, you won’t burden your son with over-expectations. Love him with all your heart, but trust that you have raised him well and let him go live an amazing life of his own.

Being the Mom of a boy is all sorts of things – it’s challenging, exciting, frustrating, fun but most importantly, rewarding. Amidst all the fart jokes, the smells and the booger-picking, there’s a boy for whom you are the first love, and for whom you’ll always be special. So enjoy the journey; it’s going to be a fun ride!

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 Prerna is the founder, editor and owner of ‘Maa of All Blogs’, one of India’s Top Parenting Blogs. Besides being a certified Ashtanga Yoga instructor, she is also a fashion designer and economics graduate.

When she’s not busy running her home and business, she ensures she stays active – whether it’s running the half marathon, completing the Oxfam walk or climbing to the Everest base camp. Prerna enjoys wearing all her hats, and she does so in style!

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