5 Ideas For Teaching Our Sons
My son was in a special band concert last night for the area’s best band musicians in seventh through ninth grade. He had the opportunity to play his trumpet in both the concert band and jazz band portions of the concert. Sometimes, it can be a challenge to see our son during concerts because the trumpets are usually tucked a few rows behind the flutes, clarinets, and other instruments. His seat for the concert band portion of this program put him right in my view this time, and it was nice to see him as he played.
I noticed my son was wearing a necktie for the program, and it struck me that I can’t remember spending a lot of time teaching him how to tie a necktie. I have to wear a necktie every day for my job, so I can put one on without much thought. But he rarely wears a necktie. So I started thinking. How did he learn how to do this? He must have learned either by watching me or by following a YouTube instructional video. I’m hoping it’s the first one.
Teaching our sons is not an option. It’s a responsibility!
Here are some useful tips for making the most of those teaching moments:
5 Ideas for Teaching Our Sons
- Live life out in the open. Our sons need to see us doing life right in front of them. Whether it’s putting a tie on, changing the oil in the car, taking out the trash, or paying the bills. It’s important for our sons to see us doing things. They will learn just by watching.
- Encourage questions. Most boys are very inquisitive. They want to learn, and they are looking to you for wisdom and knowledge. The pace of life can keep us from stopping to listen and answer our sons. Resist the urge to put them off. Stop, listen, and answer. Not only will you teach your boys about the subject of their questions, you will teach them how to listen.
- Get help when you need it. If you don’t know how to do something, find the answer yourself. Maybe you don’t know how to tie a tie. Ask a friend to show you. Look online for instructional videos. Learn so you can pass this knowledge onto your sons.
- Practice humility. Learn to apologize. Learn to admit your shortcomings. A dad can teach his sons just as much through the things he doesn’t know as through the things he does know. As a dad, you won’t always get it right, and your boys need to see you responding appropriately to these moments.
- Don’t wait for tomorrow. Time is short. Your sons will be out of the house on their own before you know it. Make the most of each opportunity to invest in your boys. You won’t regret it!
This article originally appeared on Daddy Press.