Everyday after school Tyler insists he is "starving to death" and so I make a second lunch at 2:30. He eats and eats and eats. The other day I made him burritos and nachos. He kept saying they were "SOOOOOO" good, (hmmm, they were just frozen burritos, nothing fancy) and I told him the saying:
"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."
He replied:
"When I am on a date with a girl I will ask her, 1) "Can you cook?" and 2) "Can you cook like my mom?"
HA! Looks like we need to have a talk about dating etiquette. But for now I will say nothing.
:)
Last week I read this article in Deseret News written by a mom with a 10 year-old. It made me happy inside because I take the time to create meals for my boy and sit and talk with him about his day.
I must save it to read when Mason is a preteen:
"My son celebrated his golden birthday this week — he turned 10 on 10-10. And so I selfishly use a little ink to wish him the best, but keep the remainder of my comments on raising a boy in general terms so as not to mortify him completely.
As most moms of 10-year-old boys can attest, it’s a unique time of life. Your independent son is enamored with all that you don’t provide like wrestling moves that stretch his flexibility, football throws that knock him to the ground, tall apple trees to climb and elk hunts to go on with the men.
And yet, he still needs to eat, still needs his jersey cleaned and doesn’t want you to be late for anything. So just at the moment when you think you could be replaced by a chef, chauffeur and laundry maid, he actually needs you.
It happens on days when you’re the only one in the world who can excavate matching cleats and he gives you an appreciative hug that lingers longer than is expected.
It happens when he rides his first calf at the county fair and wants to make sure you have your camera ready. Afterwards he practically sits on your lap to watch footage of his three-second ride seven times straight and gives you a smile that says, “Thanks for letting me ride even though I know you thought I might get hurt.”
It happens on quiet drives from school when the sun shines bright through the car window and he closes his eyes for a few minutes. Suddenly, he turns and asks thought-provoking questions about heaven or hamburger meat or Gila monsters and you actually have an answer that satisfies his curiosity. I could go weeks on that slight, satisfied smile on his face when he turns back toward the sun and closes his eyes again.
It happens when you not only bake cookies, but make his favorite kind.
It happens when you pull a sliver from his foot without criticizing him for playing barefoot.
Although less frequent than most moms hope, it is nice to be needed by a growing boy.
At 10 years old, you start to see the man he might become. You see his likes, his dislikes, his preferences and budding talents. You see him throttle back his temper on occasion and you catch him reaching outside his comfort zone to help another person. You see him escape the world for a little “down time” and you see him engage in conversations with the elderly that make you proud.
At this age, a boy’s perspective is widening exponentially and his opinions are just settling into the wet cement of experience.
It’s a time when he’s not going to take cello lessons anymore just because you want him to. It’s a time when he’s analyzing the animal kingdom, including the birds and the bees.
He’ll let you help him study spelling words as long as you don’t get too silly in your mnemonic suggestions and he does need your help to organize his backpack and papers ever so subtly.
There’s much to be said for being present in your 10-year-old boy’s life without forcing the relationship. Critical conversations will materialize if you take the time to venture on a hike or buy him a milkshake."
