Most moms find that they bond immediately with their newborn babies, regardless of perceived gender. Having a child is a magical experience, despite the pain and potential gore that comes along with it. Although every mom and baby duo is expected to have a strong bond, people often say that the mother-son bond is stronger than a father-son or mother-daughter variant.

While the existence of some super bond between moms and their kids surely makes sense to moms who haven’t experienced postpartum depression or other complicating factors following the birth or adoption of their babies, not every mama sees a significant bond with her baby from day one.

Still, these tales of strong mother-son bonds are reassuring to mamas expecting their first son or a son after having multiple daughters. Sometimes moms stress about whether they’ll bond with their baby or not, and the concerns are often because of the baby’s gender. Dads are expected to bond with sons, and moms with daughters, but what about moms and their boys?

Each mom develops a bond with each of her babies in a different way, but these heartwarming Whisper confessions confirm that mother-son bonds do exist, and the moms in question would do anything for their boys.

15 Fishing Friends Bond

The stereotype is that dads take sons fishing, and moms stay at home doing whatever domestic duties need to be taken care of. So this sweet Whisper flips those assumptions on their head. While this mom doesn’t explain how old her son is, she says that the two are best friends and that they enjoy fishing together.

Fishing is supposed to be a great way to bond with kids, but it’s usually suggested that dads are the ones doing the lake or river outings. But why not moms? Most moms I know wouldn’t volunteer to poke wriggly worms onto fishhooks, but if mom and son both enjoy a day of fishing, that’s awesome for their relationship. Dads and grandpas shouldn’t be the only ones who get to enjoy a day on the water with the little boys in the family.

14 Burning Bridges On His Behalf

While it would be nice to know this mama bear’s reasons for burning bridges with family, it’s a plus to know that she’s got her son’s back. Who knows what he or she did that involves the family, but for this son, it’s got to be reassuring that mom’s willing to sacrifice familial bonds for him. Unfortunately, it sounds like a big event went down before and this mom stayed quiet.

The good news is, this time mom’s gearing up for a fight and she doesn’t plan to let her guard down when it comes to protecting her boy. Obviously, there’s a high level of trust between this mom and son, in the fact that she’s going to bat for him when it looks like the whole family is out to get him.

13 Disappointment Un-Achieved

Most moms would struggle with a son who went out and got a tattoo without permission at age 14. Becoming a father at 15 is no walk in the park either, especially not for a mom who’s footing the bill for the care of the kiddo. Leaving school at 16 isn’t the best choice, but mom still had his back through all of it.

Finally, in what appears to be the ultimate test, this son came out to his mom at 18 and she embraced him fully. Hopefully, mom’s not the reason for the kid’s difficult teen years to begin with, but she seems to have handled it all with grace, since the two are still on speaking terms. That said, plenty of moms of teens have worse stories to report than this- but kudos to his mom for sticking by him.

12 Loving Mine More

Being a stepparent may be one of the hardest things any mom or dad will have to deal with. Whether the stepchildren are holy terrors or wind up claiming you as their own, there are so many issues to navigate along with your partner that there’s bound to be stress and dysfunction.

This mom doesn’t give any hints about whether her stepchildren have underlying issues or not, but on the face of it, it’s pretty terrible that she says she loves her own child more. Then again, is it really that unexpected? Whether a mom gives birth to her child or adopts them, we choose our babies and we bond with them. With step kids, there are so many other factors at play that makes it harder to embrace the extra kiddos and form strong bonds, however guilty you feel over it.

11 Minecraft Mom Plays On

Most moms of sons (and plenty of daughters, too) recognize Minecraft’s trademark blocky style, but not every mama is willing to invest hours in gameplay to understand what her sons are up to. This mom confesses that her secret is she plays Minecraft to feel closer to her son. Obviously, her son is probably thrilled, and there’s nothing wrong with grownups playing video games, either.

If playing Minecraft is all parents have to do to ensure strong bonds with their kids, we’d bet every parent would sign up for it. Plus, if your kids are at home playing video games, they’re not off getting into trouble, and they’re around more for you to pick up on what’s happening in their lives. This Minecraft mom has it down to a win-win science.

10 Raising Her BFF

While many moms would argue against the “raising your own BFF” bit, given the puke-covered sleepless nights of their son’s infancy, this heartfelt Whisper highlights what many moms feel about their sons as they grow up. Our helpless infants become little men who we can watch transforming before our very eyes. One day they need us for everything, and the next they’re off making friends and creating a life that’s truly their own.

There is something to be said for this mom’s observation that we’re responsible for raising our own BFFs. After all, the idea of raising kids is to make sure they’re good and productive humans- and who wouldn’t want to be BFFs with someone who’s compassionate, kind, and fun? Plus, a healthy relationship with mom helps with personal relationships later- so our sons’ partners can thank us when the time comes.

9 A Brake Job For Two

Dads or grandpas are often tasked with teaching the men in the family how to do traditionally “manly” tasks like changing tires or the oil on the family car. But this mom took the responsibility into her own hands and taught her nine-year-old how to do the brakes. This has two benefits- one, he’ll be able to do his own brakes when he starts driving, and two, he’s spending time with mom. There are actually more than two benefits, since learning from mom is something that shows him what women are capable of (hint: it’s more than just making sandwiches!).

Teaching kids how to take care of the car is one way to develop those all-important life skills- just like laundry and cooking- and it’s a perfect opportunity for moms and sons to expand on their tight bonds.

8 A Two For One Deal

Single moms have an even harder time raising sons than the rest of us, and it’s often attributed to the fact that there’s no “fatherly” influence present in boys’ lives. But being a single parent at all is difficult, and moms who are used to having their sons as the only men in their lives have a huge adjustment to make when they begin dating.

Thankfully, this mama acknowledges that the relationship between her and her son comes before her relationship with anyone else. She even goes so far as to call out men for being selfish and not thinking of her child when courting her- something prospective partners need to think about before committing to a woman who’s a single mom. Respect goes a long way- and respecting mom’s bond with her son comes first.

7 Sing Together Stay Together

Singing with mom isn’t something most kids want to do, so it’s obvious this mom and her son have an amazing bond. It’s also a sign that this mom has mad parenting skills, since her child isn’t concerned about singing RENT songs in the Walmart parking lot for all to hear. It might be that this child is young enough that he’s not embarrassed by mom, but it’s just as likely that he’s older and just doesn’t care what people think.

Either way, the bond between this mom and her RENT-loving son is both funny and heartwarming all at once. All moms should aim for raising kids who aren’t afraid to sing like no one’s watching, and for boys it’s even more important to make sure they’re secure in who they are while trying to be good people.

6 Single Mom Special Bond

This mom has a point- being a single mom is often exhausting. Particularly if she started out 100 percent alone when her baby was born, this mama is likely no stranger to sleepless nights and shower-less days. The newborn stage is intense even when you have help, but it’s different for single moms who are single-handedly handling everything in their babies’ lives.

Of course, single moms will have special relationships with their sons because there’s no one to share the parenting duties with, and so mom’s parenting style has to take that into account. It’s a struggle but it’s hugely rewarding at the same time, as mom completely controls the outcome of her kiddo’s life. A lot of pressure, sure, but single motherhood to a son is also something supremely special.

5 Choosing The Single Life

Unfortunately, many single moms don’t choose the sole caregiver life on purpose. Sometimes difficult relationships force it on them, while other times, one-time “accidents” result in moms getting pregnant without a long-term partner in sight. This mom, however, chose the single parenting path on purpose. But, she explains, she would do anything for her son, so she’s obviously happy with the choice she made.

It’s nice to know that some moms intentionally choose single parenthood over dysfunctional relationships or drawn out legal battles over child support and visitation. While it’s sad that this little boy won’t know his dad, he has a mom who’ll always be in his corner, and that counts for so much more than a deadbeat dad who has to be forced to be a father figure.

4 Mama Doesn’t Want To Share

This is a unique confession because this single mom to a son doesn’t want to give up her ways in favor of marriage. While it sounds like marrying her best friend would be a way out of single motherhood and into an arguably more stable life for her and her son, this mom doesn’t want to give up her lifestyle and have to share her little boy with a new father figure.

While some moms are probably hoping for a knight in shining armor to swoop in and save them, this mom has other ideas about how she wants her future. Then again, it sounds like she might not be in love with this potential suitor, so we can see how she’d be hesitant to marry someone she’s not head over heels in love with- the way that she obviously loves her little guy.

3 Playing Hooky With Mom

What most children wouldn’t give for a fun-loving mom who isn’t afraid to take an occasional day off for fun with her kids! This little boy is so lucky to have a mom who not only works hard to support her small family, but also recognizes that spending time together is more important than anything else. If that means she has to take time off work and her son has to miss a day of school once in a while, then so be it.

Going on an adventure with an attentive parent is good for kids, even if they’re missing classroom instruction- and besides, this child is obviously well-loved with a solid support system at home. Plus, it’s evident that mom enjoys spending time with him, another plus that shows how important mother-son bonding is.

2 Honest Sons Thank Mom

I know many moms who wouldn’t dare let their sons leave the house in a dress or makeup, so it speaks volumes about this mom’s character that she’s embracing every aspect of her boys’ personalities and interests. With so many pressures on little boys from the outside world, more moms should take cues from their kids instead of media and societal influence.

Luckily, this older boy and his brother recognize their mom’s positive impact on their lives, thanks to her openness and willingness to accept the quirky things that other moms wouldn’t tolerate. The thing is, accepting our kids as they are is a huge step in maintaining positive and open bonds, so moms who shut down that part of their boys’ personalities are losing relationship points with their kids.

1 Gabbing With Grandma

How many grown men actually enjoy talking to their moms on the phone? This child reports that their father enjoys speaking to his mom on the phone at length, highlighting their strong bond that’s lasted through to the son’s adulthood. Many teens today have no desire to speak to their parents on the phone, let alone send a text with more than a couple of words, so this adult son’s mom obviously did a good job raising him.

This Whisper confession is yet another indication that the bonds between mothers and sons can benefit their lives and their relationships over decades and longer. The thing is, a boy’s relationship with his mom is often the most significant early childhood factor that helps form his personality and shape his future- so kudos to these moms for doing their best by their boys.