My kids are all boys and stair step. Until recently, they were 9,10 and 11 and now they are 9, 11 and 12 for a few months. My oldest one is Autistic and his toddler years were absolute HADES. I was a stay at home mom, but my husband was gone traveling for work all the time, so I was also a single mother.
My late mother in law qot me interested in quilting cause she knew I was going to go crazy with all the boys at home, one in various stage of scream all the time. I looked at it like a job at first. I would ONLY do it after the kids were in bed, but then started bringing it out an hour or so each afternoon when Noggin played Blue's Clues for an hour. It was the only show in which all 3 boys would just sit there quietly mesmorized.
I worked an hour each day and one each night and just treated it like a job at first. Something I HAD to do. I didn't have anyone close to watch the kids and play dates were out of the question with the issues my eldest had. I came so I loved it so much I hated when my hour was up and looked at the clock throughout the evening waiting on bed time. Quickly it became something I wanted to do and not had to do. It was one of the first ways I was able to get some time to myself which is something important for every mom to have. It's a way of taking care of yourself too. Eventually, I picked up hand quilting so I could do it while sitting in the living room with the boys when they were older.
Ironically enough, I got a lot more done then than I do now. But now, whenever I do have my stuff out, all 3 boys are always interested in what I'm doing and sometimes it'll end up that I have little (well is 5 foot tall still little?) quilt inspectors that go through the process with me.
I have two boys interested in sewing on their own and I've taught them it's not just a girl thing, even though I do not personally know any men quilters, but the one's on here have been great inspiration to me to encourage my boys.