What it's like to be a mother of only boys

It is messy and stressful and frustrating. And an absolute joy.

Mother and son
(Image credit: iStock)

When I'm introduced to another mother of only boys, there are a few seconds of expectation. As if maybe we are going to have a secret handshake. Or maybe we are going to say, "Hey, are there black handprint marks all over your walls? Me too!"

Instead, we just nod our heads and exchange a little smile, knowing we are kindred spirits. Having boys leads to a set of personality traits, namely that you're not fussy and that you roll with the (actual) punches. If you have a bunch of boys, you've probably seen a femur up close. You can get blood out of anything.

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Annabel Monaghan is a lifestyle columnist at The Week and the author of Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big? (2016), a collection of essays for moms and other tired people. She is also the author of two novels for young adults, A Girl Named Digit (2012) and Double Digit (2014), and the co-author of Click! The Girls Guide to Knowing What You Want and Making it Happen (2007). She lives in Rye, New York, with her husband and three sons. Visit her at www.annabelmonaghan.com.