Mother and boy tend to awkwardness (10)

'awkwardness' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'mother and boy tend' is the wordplay.
'mother' becomes 'ma' (ma can mean mother).
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'boy' becomes 'lad' (informal term for boy).
'tend' becomes 'dress' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'ma'+'lad'+'dress'='MALADDRESS'

'to' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?