Oh, boy! Ever since I was little, I was obsessed with one thing: boys. From posing in front of the pool boy to crushing on Dylan Sprouse and flirting with the handsome male cashier, there was always a boy in my life. My mom knew this from the start and early on never let me forget the lessons she learned from her own experiences—and, trust me, from the stories that have been shared, she knows a lot.
Through all the fights, the "good" kind of gossip, the name-calling, the laughs, and the stare-downs, my mom is my best friend and she will always tell me how it is. Now, as I've gone through my own sticky situations, I've realized, "Damn, my mom was right."
Nonverbal communication weighs more than any "I love you to the moon and back"
Ready, set, action. We've all heard that one's behavior reveals more than one's word, but when it's in your face, it's sometimes hard to notice. I've tried to convince myself one too many times that his words carried my dreams, but looking back now his actions never matched up.
Don't take boys too seriously
Dating is fun. Boys are fun. Life is fun. It's all fun and games and anytime when I felt my life was over (any heartbreaking moment I realized I won't marry my current infatuation) my mom lifted me up and reminded me that we are all here just to enjoy ourselves. If something isn't bringing you happiness, it's time to find what will. Life is a joke.
Make it clear how you want to be treated and stand up for that
If you're a princess, tell him you're royalty! When a guy is into you, he'll make sure you're treated exactly the way you need. My mom needs a kiss before my dad goes to work. If not, all hell breaks loose. So what does my dad do? He kisses my mom so that we can all live for the day. One time, my dad left for work without the famed kiss, my mom called him right away, and he made a U-turn.
If you disagree, then disagree
A girl who agrees with everything a boy does isn't cute. She isn't boring, she has her unique opinions and it's time to let those monsters out. My mom is a Scorpio. A true fiery fighter, if she doesn't agree with what you have to say, she'll make sure you know her thoughts. You can't change someone else's positions, but you can always make your voice heard.
If they really love you, you'll know
You don't have to question it. I used to always ask, repeat, and annoy my poor mother with, "Mooommm, does he love me?" and she would look me in the eyes and say, "I have no clue, cookie, but you should know. You would just know."
Don't be afraid to take charge
If all this goes over your head, remember this one thing that my mom stands by: if you have a chance, grab it. Here I am sitting in the sun and a dark, tall, and handsome guy with a cute boy butt walks by, I'm not going to sit and watch all the girls gawk. I'm going to be that one woman who walks straight up to him and spill about some story about my crazy, reality-tv-like life.
Boys are attracted to confidence
On that note, confidence is everything. Be weird. Be silly. Be mysterious. Be you and own it. Girls, boys, and everyone else will be in awe. Growing up, my mom always focused on my brother and I's posture becuase if you walk confidently, you feel like you can carpe diem and that's how everyone else will view you.
They're people, too
They're not aliens and they aren't cold-blooded demons. Boys have feelings whether they want to admit it or not, they feel all the feels that we feel.
Be up front, boys just don't get it
Yeah, I know I just spoke of guys' feelings, but that doesn't make them to oblivious to yours. Everyone knows that when you say, "You're fine," you're not, but there are other small hints that you can't expect boys to get. I'm still explaining to my boyfriend the difference between a dress and a skirt—don't ask.
