This post is sponsored by JM Cremp’s, the Boys Adventure Store! For more information, please read my full disclosure.

10 Adventure Gifts Your Boys will Love

You won’t find more unique gifts than these for your boys! They will have hours of fun while learning valuable skills at the same time. Get a FREE catalog from JM Cremp’s for even more gift ideas!

1. Wrist Walkie Talkie – Perfect for hiking and camping trips, these walkie talkies are voice activated for even the youngest adventurers.

2. 14 – in – 1 Educational Solar Robot – This science kit can be changed into 14 different robots, all solar powered and some of them even move in water! There are 2 levels for all types of young engineers.

3. Challenger II RC Tank Kit – Brick lovers won’t believe that this exists. It’s a remote controlled tank that is made of bricks (Lego Compatible) so you can build and drive to your hearts content!

4. The King Duct Tape Project Book – This book shows how to make a variety of weapons and armor all from duct tape!

5. Wolverine Bow Set – A beginner bow that is perfect for archers ages 5-9. It is lightweight and simple to use.

6. One Log Fire S’mores Set – This is a log that burns from the inside, perfect for smore’s. It is a small mess-free, non-toxic alternative to the regular campfire and great for some backyard fun!

7. Paracord Bracelet with Light – What young boy doesn’t like a flashlight? This is the adventurer’s best accessory that includes an LED white light flashlight and a bracelet that unravels into a rope just in case.

8. LittleBits Space Kit – Little scientists will love playing with this NASA inspired electronics kit. It includes 5 NASA lesson plans and 10 STEM/STEAM activities. You can even build your own Mars Rover!

9. The Swurfer – It’s a new backyard swing for your active kids! Children can calmly swing like normal or they can try air-surfing!

10. Stopmotion Explosion Animation Kit – Your young film maker will jump for joy with this amazing kit that teaches kids how to make their own stop motion movies. It includes everything they need like a camera, software and guide!

The post Top 10 Adventure Gifts for Boys! first appeared on True Aim.

And even worse, I’ve had times when my boys are goofing around and having a wonderful time laughing and carrying on and I feel myself getting upset with them.  I’ve gotten upset when my boys are laughing?!?  Yes, you read that right.  Can you relate?

I recently read an article about something called misophonia.  People with misophonia have specific sounds which cause them to feel an immediate negative reaction.  These are sounds that are just background noise for most people – but when this person hears the sound they will have a response that can range from moderate discomfort to acute annoyance or even full-fledged rage and panic. Fight or flight reactions can occur.

These sounds can be things like chewing sounds, humming, tapping noises, or even BREATHING!

Boys and Noise

Why is it that boys tend to be the ones who make the noises and moms tend to be the ones who are irritated by them?

There are at least 6 Factors involved:

1. Females hear better – Women’s hearing is ten times better than that of men.  This is a huge factor in causing boys to make noises that are irritating.  They often don’t even realize that what they’re doing is making a noise!
2. Boys process differently – Our sons do things that don’t make any sense to us and that can be irritating.  We sometimes have a hard time figuring them out!
3. Boys learn better while moving – Quite often, boys are kinesthetic learners.  This means that they need to move their hands and feet in order to think more clearly.  Pacing also helps to soothe them.  All of this movement causes noise.
4. Lack of serotonin – Boys have more of a tendency to have less serotonin than their bodies need.  This can cause them to be fidgety and to lack impulse control… which can be irritating to moms.
5. “Huh?!?” – Boys act like they hear us when they are actually thinking about something else.  This causes moms to have to repeat themselves often, making them irritated.
6. “Say what?!?” – Sometimes we think our boys understand what we’ve said to them but they actually interpret it differently than we’d like them to.  This lack of communication can also be frustrating.

So What?

So, what can moms do to stop being to irritated by our son’s noises?

Here are 5 Things that Should Help:

1. Understand Your Son – Simply understanding the way that God has wired boys can go a long way toward taking away the irritation with our sons.  When we don’t understand our boys and their behavior is baffling to us, it can be extremely frustrating.  We are less likely to be irritated by our sons once we have a better idea of what behavior we should reasonably expect from them.

2. Feed the Boy – Be sure we are giving them all of the nutrients that they need to help their bodies to function properly.  If your son’s noises are driving you nuts and you learn that adding more healthy fats to his diet might help, it’s certainly worth a try.

3. Learn to Communicate – Learning how to say things in a way that your son will better understand is key to being less frustrated by him.

4. Train Him Properly – Our boys may not always know that their behavior is irritating to us.  However, if we teach our boys to try not to irritate others, this will help tremendously.  In our house, if someone is making noises or doing anything which is driving someone else bonkers, we try to teach them to stop right away as soon as they are asked nicely to stop.  This is way less frustrating!

5. Give Him a Break – Our boys need to move!  Be sure you’re giving your son ample time throughout the day to make noises and move around.  Go outside with your son from time to time and allow him to really let loose.  Having regular times when he’s allowed to be loud and wiggly will help your son to have more self control at other times.  If you don’t have much outdoor space, there are plenty of indoor activities he can do to get out his extra energy.

If your son’s noises are driving you nuts, try utilizing some of the above techniques and see if that will get you some relief.  Our boys may be noisy and they may not even realize it… but armed with the above information, you should find their behavior way more tolerable in the future.

Question:  Do your son’s noises drive you nuts?  Have you found any other methods which have helped everyone to be less irritated by each other in your home?  Please leave a comment below.

The post 6 Reasons Your Son’s Noises are Driving You Nuts! first appeared on True Aim.

I was ecstatic to learn that I was having you!  After your two sisters, I was ready to buy some blue, hear some car noises and play cops and robbers.  Then I met you and it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be.

You stole my heart.

Of course I get the boy noises and rough and tumble play I wanted.  I never taught you to turn your broom into a gun or have epic battles with your fork and spoon.

But it was the gentleness and kindness of your unprompted hugs, they way you like to play with my hair while we watch your favorite movie and comfort me with a pat on the back and an unspoken look of concern if you think I am hurt, that surprised me.

Now you have me wrapped around your little finger.  Discipline is hard to do when you melt my heart even with fits and tears.

But there’s something else too.  I’ve noticed that I treat you differently.  I make excuses for you and hold you to a slightly lower standard.

I’ve tried not to, but some little voice in my head keeps saying, “Oh, he’s just a boy.”

The stereotypes that I’ve heard over and over again about how boys develop slower intellectually and boys are unruly, dug into my subconsciousness when I wasn’t looking.  It is a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Maybe I’ve watched way too many movies where the men are bumbling idiots; their only purpose of existence is to satisfy their selfish desires.  Maybe it is because, when I was in school, the men who were my classmates were all insensitive bullies; treated like little boys and so they acted like little boys.

I was never taught to show respect for the future leaders of homes, and they didn’t expect it because being the leader of a family was the last thing on their mind.

And that is what it is.  After years of prepping for SATs and memorizing the digits of pi, I failed to train in the discipline of respect.  The esteem I have for men in my ideals, I lack in my actions and words.  This habit of disrespect is so ingrained I’ve been imposing it on you; my son.

I love you more than life itself and that’s why I want to warn you.

Don’t marry your mother.

Marry someone who has had practice showing respect to men.  She doesn’t allow them to act like little boys in her presence.  She doesn’t discount their opinion or blow off their requests simply because they came from men.  She is attentive when they speak and makes them feel important.

In the mean time, I’m sorry for my preconceived notions of how boys are supposed to act and what they are capable of.  I’m sorry for putting you in a box.  Most of all, I’m sorry I’ve been treating you like a little boy when I should be treating you like a little man.

I’ll get better with time, and diligence I promise.

Love,

Your Mother.

The post Dear Son, Don’t Marry Your Mother first appeared on True Aim.