Everything I Know About Men I Learned from My Sons

Divining the Male Mind

My husband and I had our first son, Leason, not long after we married. The second, TJ, arrived three years later. Raising them taught me more about what goes on inside the male mind than all my years of observing and relating to my father, brothers, boyfriends, and even my husband.

To be honest, some days I think I would have given up on trying to divine the nature of the male, if I hadn't had sons. Here's what they've taught me:

Sure, we've all heard the best way is through a man's stomach. And guys do like to eat. But in a pinch, any super-size bowl of cold cereal will do. But the perfect pair of shoes are what boyhood dreams are made of. Shoes for running, kicking, stomping, splashing in puddles, shooting hoops, or climbing trees. The male love affair with shoes starts with their first pair of light-up sneakers with little Velcro closures. Supply clean, comfortable socks by the dozen and acquire goddess-like status. Need I mention foot rubs?

When Leason was 5, he decided to trim his soft brown curls I loved so dearly. The uneven result brought a smile to my face and tears to his. On the way to the hairdresser, he slid to the floor of the car to prevent anyone seeing him and begged me to claim responsibility for the unfortunate haircut. He told me he had to take matters into his hands to do away with the hated angelic-looking haircut I preferred. As I stared back into his accusing brown eyes, I finally saw how important Leason's lovely mop was to him. As it would be to his younger brother.

And as it is to my husband, who though mostly bald, sports a few white hairs. Now I know guys love a simple remark like, "Your hair looks great" just as much as women do. Try it, and you might receive unexpected compliment or two in return.