It’s not exactly earth-shattering to say you want your son to grow up and become a level-headed, respectful, capable young man, and there’s a whole lot you can do to ensure that happens. If feeling lost as to what to teach the little boy in your life, check out the following suggestions to help make certain he grows up “right.”
Make Eye Contact
Stress the importance of making eye contact with others when speaking to them. This indicates confidence!
No Means No
Emphasize (as much as needed) that when a girl says “No,” she means “No.” Point out examples of women “saying no when they mean yes” on television, in movies, etc. and discuss how faulty such displays are with your son. Talk about rape culture, slut-shaming, and similar topics to let your boy know that women are valued members of society with the right to dress how they wish. If they say no, they mean no. Make sure your son understands “no” warrants no further pressure, begging, and similar behaviors on his part.
Be A Good Sport
Be certain your son understands the importance of good sportsmanship. If necessary, find videos of “bad sportsmanship” and show them to your son. Ask him if these are people he wants to emulate, and go over as many examples of bad sportsmanship as necessary, such as kicking dirt, swearing, yelling at opposing team members and umpires, throwing sports equipment, and so on.
Treat Women With Respect
Talk about the necessity of treating women with respect, which you can discuss in conjunction with your “No means no” talk, as that subject is also about respect. Point out how your son’s father treats you, and to use it as a blueprint for treatment of all future women in his life. Remember that you and your partner are your son’s first example of a relationship and how to treat women, so be a healthy example!
Accept People For Who They Are
Discuss the importance of accepting others for who they are, no matter how different. Teach your son to see and accept people as they are, not what he hopes they will be. Acceptance and tolerance are two of the most important things to teach any child, as it helps foster a more tolerant, peaceful world.
These are just some of the important lessons to teach your son! What other essential life lessons are needed?