It occurred to me recently that since I have three boys and no girls, some day, God willing, I will have three daughter-in-laws. I don't want to be a mother-in-law that is thought of with a frown, so of course I hope my boys will have discriminating taste in women so that I will love the DIL as well as the son. So anyway, as I pick up yet another pair of dirty socks, underwear, wet towel, or wipe up some kind of "what did you get into" muddy mess, I plot my speech to the offender of the moment about how this is in no way acceptable. I come up with some kind of extra chore to grind it into his head that it is HIS RESPONSIBILITY..... not mine, his brothers', or his future wife. Someday he will have to function in the fine art of grooming, cleaning, and general good manners without me, so I have to be hard on them, tolerant to an extent, but consistent in my "lessons". Will my boys be happy about this.....I extremely doubt it. Will they have moments of pure disgust towards me..... yes, I imagine they will. Will they thank me years later? Who knows about them, but I am sure each wife will be ever so grateful, and she and I will get along well. We will become friends. We will shake our heads about the "man" habits that they developed along the way, much to our chagrin and with no bearing on their upbringing, and we will laugh and have a great relationship. I will have three new girlfriends, albeit from a generation younger than myself.......but more girlfriends just the same.
somewhere along the road to the future I'm sure the boys will apreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI once saw an episode of Two and a Half Men in which Charlie took Jake with him to the store in order to attract more girlfriends.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't seem like the same thing, but it could have the same title as this blog entry.
:-)
Hi Nancy!
ReplyDeletethanks for visiting That Old House and leaving such a sweet comment.
I laughed with you about your post -- I'm about to become a mother-in-law and have a son for the first time; we have two daughters.
His mother seems to have done a good job -- my daughter's a lucky girl, as her future husband can cook AND clean up!
Although, like so many men, he just doesn't see the point of making a bed.
have a lovely weekend -- those boys of yours are adorable.
Cass