Woman redefines being a 'boy mom' after being told that the term feels 'cringey': 'Archaic beliefs'

The way people parent their kids plays a vital role in shaping the kind of adults they will become. In a time when traditional gender roles are being redefined or completely thrown out, parents have to take more innovative approaches to parenting. Instagram content creator and mother of two boys, Payal Desai (@payalforstyle), shared an important video where she shared her fresh perspective on the modern "boy mom." The video has got 197K views and 11,720 likes on the social media site.

The video is essentially Desai telling viewers her parenting approach in detail and how that would help her boys in their lives. The text overlay reads, "Redefining the 'boy mom'." The mother starts by sharing that she would teach her boys to "regulate" their feelings through healthy practices such as journaling, taking a step back and most importantly taking accountability. Her next parenting practice involved teaching her boys to clean up after themselves.

She says, "Unloading the dishwasher, even folding their laundry so they never have the expectation that anyone will do it for them." The mother states that she has two boys and would "celebrate them" equally for whatever each of them was good at. She did so so that they would not develop an unhealthy sense of competition between themselves or others. Her final parenting approach was to teach her sons to be empathetic to people around them. The woman explains, "The way you make someone feel is oftentimes the only thing they'll remember about you." In the caption, she writes, "Someone once told me the term 'boy mom' felt cringey.

I think that is only because of the typical, archaic beliefs we have around how boys are raised. My platform has been largely about shifting our perspective and empowering boys to rise up, be proud of their emotional intelligence and grow to be competent and thoughtful men in their words and actions."

People loved the woman's parenting approach and voiced their opinions about it in the comments section. @hanh.t.hihi commented, "I love seeing new generations raising kids with actual intentions. Raising them up is one job, but mentally and emotionally healthy is another." Another individual, @spicegirlkitchen, shared, "Yes! Raising my boys to be respectful gentlemen. I love how you tell them to be kind since people remember how you make them feel. I tell mine the same."

Desai also has a series on TikTok titled "No Dusty Sons," which reveals how she teaches her boys to become more self-sufficient from an early age. Since parenting plays a key role in determining how self-sufficient individuals can be, it becomes important to impart valuable life lessons to kids. Her videos have gone viral with the popular hashtag #TeachingOurSons, usually accompanied by the hit 1995 song "I Got Five On It" by Luniz and Micheal Marshall. In one of her videos, she teaches her sons to have a proper skincare routine.

Doing so makes it easier for their future partners to carry out their costly skincare routines around them without any explanation. The viral post is captioned, "No dust here," and viewers get to see Desai with her son putting skincare products in the bathroom. Since her initial video on teaching her sons the benefits of retail therapy, she has consistently posted videos where she guides them on many lessons. From instilling organizational skills to introducing them to women's sports, she genuinely imparts valuable lessons that will resonate with them into adulthood.