To be a mother of only boys - Women's Agenda

To be a mother of only boys

One hundred women gathered for lunch on Friday for what must have been one of the most exclusive events happening in Sydney.

You see this particular lunch had a specific requirement for attendees.

Those attending had to be MOBs. That is, the mothers of boys.

Now you couldn’t be a mother of boys AND girls. That would be a “mixed litter”.

You couldn’t even be the mother of mainly boys, and then a girl or two (although one attendee did admit that as well as her four boys, she also had a girl. Those in the room gasped). That would still be a “mixed litter”.

You had to be the mother of boys and only boys.

Mothers of Boys has been created to bring together those living the unique experience of raising only boys. It’s a discussion, support and networking group that hosts lunches across Australia to share stories, and raise money for charity.

The events are for all those mothers who would never trade one of their sons for a daughter, but would get slightly jealous at never being invited to daughter fashion parades or morning teas or even father son camping weekends. MOBs are the only women in a household of testosterone, dealing with significant food bills, smelly clothes and upright toilet seats. 

After chatting on the sideline of a footy game, the organisers decided to create events that celebrate being a mother of only boys and raising boys into great men. The group is now an Australia-wide charity, and has close to 6000 fans on Facebook.

In Sydney yesterday, it was clear the organisers wanted to make things as ‘girlie’ as possible. There was a lot of pink, including gifts of nail polish. There were even a number of tiaras handed out because, as Di O’Reilly from the MOBs executive committee put it while opening the event: “We know mothers of boys never get tiaras. We never get to be the mother of the bride!”

Friday’s lunch supported the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, which aims to educate children about their personal safety. Set up in memory of Daniel Morcombe who was abducted and murdered in December 2003 on the Sunshine Coast, the Foundation has recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, having benefitted thousands of children in that time.

Denise Morcombe gave the keynote address, speaking about her own experience raising three boys, and sharing some of the recent wins of the Foundation. She was warm, engaging and funny telling her experience of having sons and only sons. There was a lot of mud and mess and bonfires. But having been a ‘tomboy’ herself, she said the experience of raising boys came naturally to her. Morcombe received a standing ovation from those in the room.

Sponsored by Bond University, the events also often feature an address from a young Bond University Rugby scholar. A recent school leaver who, much to the delight of the mums of boys in the room, gets on stage to thank his mum and discuss the special bond between a mother and son.

The Sydney chapter of Mothers Of Boys is relatively new with Friday marking just the second annual lunch. In Brisbane, the even has a long history and gets a much bigger crowd – selling out despite the venue holding up to 700 mothers of boys.  The group is currently also growing chapters in Melbourne, Adelaide, the Gold Coast and Perth.

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