Learning How to Be A Mom

My boyfriend's 11 year old son has decided to come live with us.  I am having to learn a lot in a short time.  It is has been very interesting.  He is having to learn how to respect me and my decisions even though he may not like them and I am not his real mom.  I am having to learn how to let him make some of his own decisions.  It is tough because he is a pre-teen.  I am guessing that it wouldn't be so tough if he was younger.  We also live differently so he is having to get used to our ways.  Even though he was born down in the South where we live he has only lived here maybe 3 or 4 years out of his life and most of his life he has lived up North and they do things a lot different than we do in the South.  They eat different foods, have different manners and just act different.  We are having a little bit of trouble because his mom let him do and listen to a lot of things that his dad doesn't agree with, but it is hard to change his ways and correct them even if we think they are bad things that an 11 year old shouldn't be listening too, like rap music with a lot of cussing in it.  He is a good kid for the most part and scared of getting in trouble, but he is very strong willed and wants to have things his way and doesn't want to listen to adults especially one that isn't his mother.  I look forward to having a great experience in the years to come.