People have accused me of raising them - Mama’s Boys.  And no, it isn’t meant to be a compliment in some way, it was said as a means to insult me, but doesn’t it also insult my boys?

I know that traditionally, a “Mama’s Boy” is a whiny little wuss that is still attached to mommy via umbilical cord, boob (implication here is to stop the nursing), or perhaps one of those little restraint contraptions that some of us have used to keep our kids tethered to us at a crowded mall, amusement park, etc.  A Mama’s Boy can’t speak for themselves, they can’t think for themselves, and no woman will ever measure up to Mommy.  Mommy is the best; she is never wrong; she is a genius.  Mommy’s cooking is on par with a professional chef, and her Thanksgiving dinner will never be matched.

If that is the definition of a Mama’s Boy, let me make it very clear… my kids are NOT Mama’s Boys.

The boys don’t necessarily enjoy confrontation. On the other hand, they will not run from it either.  Some of my boys are more verbal than others. Corey, Addi, and Hayden-talk A LOT; Joe and Dean, not so much. But when they have something to say, they say it.  They have their own thoughts (why else would they refuse to watch Grey’s Anatomy with me?), their own goals, their own dreams and their own desires (Corey desires an iPhone, Addi some game or other, Joe a lovely, young lady in his class).  Yes, they know I am smart, but they also know that there are things I know little to nothing about, and they are cool with that because I don’t pretend to know everything and be infallible.  Ok, Ok… Roy and I do make a pretty slammin’ Turkey for Thanksgiving, BUT that is a team effort, and while I love cooking, I have made more than my share of ‘mistakes’ in the kitchen.  Though I don’t call them mistakes… they were experiments.

If the definition of a Mama’s Boy is a young man that isn’t embarrassed to be seen in public with his mother and is proud of his mom, then, yes, I have five of them.  If a Mama’s Boy is a young man that realizes mom (and dad) will make mistakes, but she is trying to do her best, yep, have five of them too.

Is it a bad thing that my 15 year old son will come into my room at night and flop on our bed and talk trash with Roy while they watch the basketball game?  (GO, MIAMI!)  Is it wrong that my 17 year old son admires me, and isn’t ashamed that his friends know it?  Should Addi and Hayden be embarrassed about liking to spend time with us?  Dean is a baby, so I wouldn’t expect anything less of him, but the older boys?  Is their behavior something of which to be ashamed?

They talk to us about girls, boys, friends, school, work, games. Is that wrong?  Are they supposed to hide things from us?

I have said it before, and I will say it again - they KNOW who their parents are.  We are not their buddies. We are Mom and Dad, and they respect that. Punishments will be handed out if necessary.  But they also know when the proverbial crap hits the fan, mom and dad have their back… always.

Do I have Mama’s Boys?  Not in the way I have been accused, but I do have five boys that love and respect me.