My son is in Like... part 2

PART 1 IS THE POST BELOW THIS ONE...

So... here is my advice... unsolicited as of right now... but hopefully he will heed it when necessary.

Dear William... my wonderful son...

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I understand you like a girl, and may have questions. I have answers.

Be careful of her feelings. You are / may be her very first boyfriend. Be one that will help her set the standard for what she wants in a future husband. I know it sounds like a lot of responsibility, but matters of the heart are never easy, or to be taken lightly... which is precisely why it is better to be older than 14 or even 18 when going down this particular path.

Being older will help you better handle the rush of feelings you WILL have... being older will help you deal with issues still very, very foreign to you. In my personal opinion... be friends with lots and lots of different girls and have a great time platonically, so there are no worries during your precious, carefree high school years. Practice being a great guy, before being a great boyfriend.

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1. Never put a girl down. They are fragile when they are teens. What you say can have a profound effect on her. You don't want to be the one that helps her have a horrible self esteem.. do you?

***

2. Build girls up, but only if you truly mean it. Empty compliments make for empty feelings. Tell them they are pretty if you think they are... but not too much.

Being oversensitive isn't an attractive trait to most women. If you don't have anything nice to say... be quiet.

***

3. Boys and girls will argue. It doesn't mean the relationship is over. Be careful not to get venomous. No need to get personal on looks. Don't go there. Focus on the problem... not the person. This will carry through a lifetime of sorrow if you follow it.

Because you are teens, your emotions are on overdrive, learn to keep them under control and reign them in. Allow yourselves to be young for a loooong time, and don't act on hormonal impulses. Don't you eventually want to make the choice of your future wife, and not have circumstance make that choice for you?

***

4. "I love you" are three incredibly powerful words. Don't waste them in your youth.

When you have a girlfriend, she will appreciate if you open up to her.

Make a pact with your future girlfriends that those three words are forbidden when you are both this young. Pick three other words to express how much you like each other such as...

"Bob's your Uncle"

or

"Hearts are Red"

or

"Sky is Blue"

Trust me... it'll feel like your own little secret, just between the two of you... and it'll help take the pressure off of being too "adult" too soon. And by too soon, I mean anytime before marriage, buddy.

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5. When a girl says "No" THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT SHE MEANS! No matter what you think her eyes, hands, body, mouth is telling you... NO... MEANS ...NO! Put your hands up and back away from the girl. NEVER EVER, EVER SAY THESE WORDS...

"If you loved me you would..."

I WILL KILL YOU! UNDERSTAND? NO... SHE WOULD NOT IF SHE LOVED YOU...

WHEN A GIRL SAYS NO... SHE IS CHOOSING HERSELF... APPLAUD HER FOR THAT!

BE PROUD OF HER AND TELL HER YOU TOTALLY RESPECT HER FOR IT,

even if you don't... Build her up, and take a shower. A cold one.

Do NOT make me a Nonna before you are married. Save yourself...

***

6. Please realize... I understand how powerful these feelings are and can be. I was a young girl too. I will never, ever, ever discount how much you feel. I will never call it Puppy Love.

I just need you to understand that NO GIRL, ever in the world, will be worth your life.

When and if you ever break up... IT WILL HURT... SOOOO MUCH! You will be sad. You will feel like someone kicked you in the gut.

You can come to me... I know what it feels like. I remember.

I am the ONLY girl IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, INCAPABLE of falling OUT of love with you.

Don't get serious until you know without a shadow of a doubt.

You will know.. when you know.

I promise you...

Please wait to know until after college and you buy a house, or we give you a house.

Please... use these teen years to have a great, platonic time.

I want the world to know that my sons were raised to be respectful of women.

Were raised to be supportive of women.

Were raised to be manly men who care for women.

Follow your Daddy's lead.

He is a great role model for you.

But remember...I am just a girl at heart. I know what those girls who like you are going through.

Unrequited "love" is tough...

I remember swooning over a boy who didn't even know I existed.

Be kind. Smile. Build up...

and stay a teen for as long as possible.

I love you...

I am here...

I will never break up with you.

Mama