Raising Godly Boys Minute

There’s something you can do as a family that can increase your son’s attention span, improve his vocabulary, foster deep conversation, and even boost your happiness as a parent. Sound good? Here’s the catch– your son may roll his eyes at first. I’m talking about reading out loud as a family. Your son may think he’s too old for it now, but researchers have found that the benefits continue even as...

“Your son is delayed.” Those words can fill you worry and even some fear as a parent. But did you know that your son may be perfectly normal, and the system may be incorrect? Researchers have found that boys’ brains develop more slowly than their female peers’ brains. The public school system doesn’t often take this into account, and a student’s success is measured by standardized tests. This is a...

Breakfast. School. Homework. Dinner. Does your son seem bored or disengaged in his day to day life? Here’s a simple way to add adventure, spontaneity, and excitement to his life: Get him outside! Nature can actually change your son’s brain for the better. Studies have found that when someone regularly spends time outside, essential regions of the brain, like the hippocampus, grow and retain more g...

His superman cape flies out behind him majestically, and he lifts his arms. “One, two, three!” Your five year old jumps off the swing set. A short time later, as you drive him to the emergency room with a broken arm, you wonder, “Why in the world did he do that?” As parents, we remind our kids to be careful, but the truth is that boys don’t just want risk… they need it. Risky play helps your son l...

“Take out the trash. This is the fourth time I’ve told you,” you tell your son. Your son says “What? I didn’t hear you.” Here’s a fact that may not surprise you:  boys are biologically wired to be bad listeners. Studies have found that, when a boy and girl hear the same sound, the boy will hear it 10 times quieter than the girl will.  This is especially true if it’s a high frequency sound, like a...

There’s a bunch of excitement in the rocket industry. SpaceX and other companies are building gigantic rockets. They’re even planning Mars missions. But before a rocket ever leaves the ground, there are countless hours of building and programming. Every part of the rocket is checked and double checked to make sure it’s ready for liftoff. Before your son heads off for college or moves away for work...

During the California Gold Rush of 1849, thousands of prospectors panned for gold in mountain streams and riverbeds. But those prospectors who spent time, sweat, and effort digging into the earth were the ones most likely to strike it rich. Discovering a single vein of gold was worth way more than hundreds of gold flakes from the river. Help your son strike it rich in terms of godly character. Sho...

Do you remember your son taking his first steps? No doubt you had already been holding his hand—and helping him take one step in front of the other. But eventually, the day came where he climbed to a stand, and took those first few steps all by himself. You cheered with joy and excitement. Even though your son is no longer a toddler, continue to train him to walk in righteousness. Psalm chapter 1...

If you plan to go skiing, you wear ski boots. If you’re heading to the beach, you wear sandals. For a quick jog around the block, you wear running shoes. You select your shoes based on the type of activity. Similarly, when training, correcting, or playing with your son, it’s vital to select the appropriate tone for the task at hand. It’s also crucial that you understand your son’s personality so t...

Have you ever broken an arm? Depending on the type of break, the doctor might have needed to set the bones straight before placing your arm in a cast. That cast kept your arm protected so that the broken bones could grow back together. If your relationship with your son is broken, you also need to set things straight. Take time to allow the relationship to heal. This may require a season of rest a...

Have you ever watched a stunt driver race his motorcycle up a steep ramp and into the air? Maybe he did a double backflip with a bunch of twists and turns. Those crazy stunts require an incredible about of control. If the stuntman were to leave the ramp at the wrong angle, he’d land off target and experience an awful wipeout. To succeed in life, your son also needs to be in control. Because boys a...

Imagine sending an army to war without the tools or training to achieve victory. And yet, we are sending boys, ill-equipped, into a culture that seems to have declared war on boyhood. The results are tragic. Boys are almost twice as likely to be put in special education and three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. And each year, fewer young men enroll in higher education. But changing th...

Fidgeting. Being loud. Having trouble staying seated. Running or climbing when it’s not appropriate. We used to consider these normal behaviors for young boys.  But now, they are listed as symptoms of ADHD. Attention disorders are certainly real. But in some cases, what if instead of changing our boys’ behavior, we need to adjust our approach as adults? For instance–too much screen time and not en...

You’re sitting at the dinner table, and you ask your son if he’s ready for basketball tryouts. Your son’s face starts to turn red. Suddenly, he stands up, pushes his plate away, and knocks his chair over intentionally as he leaves the room. You’re confused. What caused this sudden anger outburst? Researchers have discovered that when boys seem angry or withdrawn, they are often actually anxious. S...

You’ve no doubt heard of Babe Ruth, who set a record for most number of home runs in his baseball career– seven hundred and fourteen. But here’s a statistic you probably haven’t heard– Babe Ruth’s total career strikeouts. One thousand three hundred and thirty. That’s right– he struck out far more than he hit homers. When it comes to your own son, of course you want him to hit all the proverbial “h...

Is your son glued to a screen? You’ve tried everything, but you just can’t pull your son away from his video games. Well here’s something to consider. Does your son’s real life give him the same opportunities for adventure that his virtual world does? Of course, video games are addictive by design. But researchers have found that boys also turn to gaming out of boredom, seeking freedom and risk. T...

Billy Graham was one of the most influential evangelists of the 20th century. He boldly proclaimed the Gospel to over 200 million people. But in addition to his important preaching ministry, Billy Graham also had an important message for fathers. He said, “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” As a dad, you have the...

Gangs. They are responsible for almost half of the violent crime in the United States. And yet, boys and men continue to join these groups in droves, some recruited as early as elementary school. Why? Here’s a big reason. As boys interact socially, they are always asking three questions: “Who is with me?” “Who is in charge?” And, “What is our mission?” Often, church groups and social clubs, althou...

In the old days of coal mining, canaries were brought into mines. If the bird died, the miners knew they needed to escape, because there was something noxious in the atmosphere. In our society today, boys are just like those canaries. Many are faltering in every area, including school, relationships, and mental health. But there is one simple thing that can make young men more likely to make healt...

Boys love the story of David and Goliath. Afterall, anytime there’s a battle involving giants with swords, it’s sure to capture attention. But too often, boys fail to apply important lessons from David’s life. Before David defeated Goliath, he had learned to depend on God when battling lions that attacked his sheep. By relying on God in these smaller tests of faith, David had confidence that God w...

Do you use your phone to send text messages? According to statistics, around 80% of Americans do. Those text messages are often sent to family, friends, and co-workers. And now, more than ever, millions of children also carry a smart phone. If you’ve decided to provide your son a phone, make sure he uses it responsibly. But in addition to that, use text messaging as a way to connect with him. If y...

We need to listen to our children. One old-school method of dealing with children was “The children should be seen and not heard.” Connecting with our child’s heart, especially our sons, is critical to having a loving relationship with them, and connection begins with listening and understanding. We must value who they are and who God has made them to be. As we start to listen more to them, we wil...

Two of the most difficult words for a parent to say are, “I’m sorry.” Are you saying them enough? As parents, we should ask for forgiveness from our kids if we lose our temper, or don’t control our tongue, or if we jump to conclusions without gathering the necessary facts. The difficulty is that we can feel vulnerable, inadequate, and even slightly humiliated when apologizing. But here’s the truth...

Glance into your purse or wallet and you’ll probably see a few dollar bills. Written on those dollar bills are these words: In God We Trust. It’s nice having that motto on our coins and bills—but it’s even more important to demonstrate that motto in our lives … that we teach this to our sons. Has your son trusted in Jesus as his Savior? If so, are you teaching him the importance of trusting in the...

Glance into your purse or wallet and you’ll probably see a few dollar bills. Written on those dollar bills are these words: In God We Trust. It’s nice having that motto on our coins and bills—but it’s even more important to demonstrate that motto in our lives … that we teach this to our sons. Has your son trusted in Jesus as his Savior? If so, are you teaching him the importance of trusting in the...