Raising Godly Boys Minute

Here’s a startling statistic: The average iPhone screen time for an adult in the United States is around seven hours each day. But the average amount of time a parent spends with their child is only about two hours a day. Here are some screen-free ideas for connecting with your son today. Make banana splits with your boy. Build a lego garage for his cars. Campout in the living room. Have him help...

Do you remember when someone gave you bad advice? Did you take it? If so, what were the results? When seeking advice, who or what can you trust? The most trustworthy source of truth is the Bible. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The best first step in all situations is going to God and asking for His guidance. Seeking advice from family, friends, co-workers, pastors, counselors, and othe...

His face was shattered– and so were his dreams. When James Clear was in high school, he had big plans to be a baseball star. But one day, he was hit in the face with a baseball bat, and suffered a brain injury. That’s when James discovered a powerful concept. As he recovered, he began to hone in on the small habits in his life, then started to work on his baseball skills again. Years later, James...

Do you hear voices? There are many voices in the world competing for our attention, but none can compare to the voice of the Lord. God speaks to His children, sometimes audibly, but mostly through His Word, the Bible. Are you listening for and to God’s voice? Or are you letting worldly voices silence Him? How can you recognize God’s voice? In John 10:27, Jesus said, “My sheep listen to My voice; I...

Rachel’s six-year- old son loves to play t-ball. He admires his coach and enjoys carrying around his bat. But there is one thing he loves more than anything else– his bright green uniform. There’s a reason for this. As young men grow up and learn to navigate social settings, they are always asking three questions– “Who is with me?” “Who is in charge?” And, “What is our mission?” On sports teams, t...

Do you remember the last time your child lied to you and how it made you feel? According to research, parents are the primary victims of lying, with 86 percent of lies being told to them. Kids often believe they are clever enough to fool their parents, but fathers and mothers usually see right through their lies. Parents are not as easily deceived as children think. Most of the time, the truth is...

“Do yourself a favor. Take a kid fishing.” That’s a quote from a man named Frank White, who produced a show called Southern Sportsman. He would say those words at the end of every broadcast. Psychologists would agree with his suggestion. Fishing gives your son an opportunity to be outside, practice problem-solving skills, and connect with others. One study even found that combat veterans who went...

How can you tell if someone needs encouragement? If they are breathing, according to Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A. Children can easily and quickly become discouraged, especially when tired or stressed, and become negative, self-critical, and depressed. The Bible mentions “encouragement” a lot, including Hebrews 3:13, which tells us to “encourage each other daily.” You can create an encoura...

Your teen boy is going through a lot of changes. You might need to change a bit, too. Of course, the fundamentals of godly parenting and discipline will stay the same. But as your son matures, it’s important to take a step back and prayerfully consider that a change in approach may be helpful. For instance, a teen boy will most likely pull away from his mom and gravitate towards his dad. This is n...

Have you heard the saying, “Life is better together”? The Bible puts it this way in Proverbs 27:17: As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Here are five ways you can live out being better together as a family. Read together. Read the Bible and other books as a family. Learn together. Share what God is showing you as read His Word. Talk together. Talk about what God is doing in your...

What can you give your children and grandchildren that won’t cost you any money and will last forever? Parents and grandparents who teach their children and grandchildren to know, love and follow Jesus will leave a spiritual inheritance that will last for generations and into eternity. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” H...

“What does successful parenting look like?” If you ask a group of parents this question, you would get a lot of different responses. Most parents want their kids to graduate high school and college, get a good job, get married, have children, and live “happily ever after.” As a parent, you can easily become focused on worldly success and helping your kids achieve the “American Dream,” but that’s n...

Have you heard this saying? “Don’t major in the minors.” We can easily get distracted in life and become consumed by things that don’t really matter. Jesus often condemned the Pharisees for this type of behavior, giving them a stern lecture in Luke 11:42. “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love...

What should you do when your son disrespects you or someone else? Try to resist the urge to reprimand or correct him in public. When you are in private, calmly tell him that while you are sad that he chose to show dishonor or disrespect, this is an opportunity for him to grow, and you hope he will make a better choice the next time. Then be sure to commend him the next time you see him showing hon...

In his book Bringing Up Boys, Dr. James Dobson compares parents of sons to a bug called a processionary caterpillar.  A scientist once tested these caterpillars by making them walk in a circle, with a food source in the middle of their circle. The caterpillars just kept following each other, instead of stopping to eat, and eventually died of starvation, right next to a food source. Dr. Dobson says...

You know who needs to see your mistakes? Your son. That’s right. When you miss a work deadline or hurt a friend’s feelings, let your son know. If handled properly, it can be a great training ground for your son. First, manage your emotions. If you’re embarrassed or angry, take a deep breath or go on a walk to calm down. Next, explain what you did wrong. Share with your son how you’re going to fix...

Maybe your son just needs a break. You only want the best for your son. You want to make sure he does well in school, eats reasonably well, makes friends, and participates in extracurriculars. And those are all wonderful things. But in this fast-paced society, don’t forget to let your son take a break, as well. Schedule “down days,” where you don’t have anything planned. Give your son long stretch...

Our boys are under attack. Boys have fallen behind girls in every academic category. Girls are now more likely to have a college education than boys, and boys are more likely to live at home longer and fail to launch into the world. As a parent, it can be discouraging to raise sons in a world that views masculinity as toxic. But by focusing on the five critical needs of boys, we can help our sons...

Labor Day is a good time to reflect on this question– What is your son’s perspective on work? The Bible makes it clear that we should do everything with excellence. Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” But at the same time, Scripture warns that idolizing money and success leads to ruin. How can you teach your son to view work in a healthy way? One...

Have you heard this criticism of Christians? “They’re so heavenly minded, they’re no earthly good.” Focusing on the world to come doesn’t mean that we are to leave the present world as it is, but everything we do, say, and teach our boys should be filtered through the lens of eternity. What are the Lord’s instructions for you during your time here on Earth? Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly...

How can you help your children grow spiritually? Here are three ideas: Set an example for them. It’s been said that when it comes to children, more is caught than taught. They’ll see when you read your Bible and pray (and when you don’t). And they’ll notice how often you attend church and how important spiritual things are to you. Read with them. This helps kids grow spiritually in a fun and engag...

Is your son truly delayed…or is he just a boy? Asher, who is six years old, got a letter sent home with him from school saying he is delayed and needs to work on sitting still. Asher’s mom took the letter to her son’s pediatrician, who shook her head, and said “He’s not delayed. He’s just being a boy.” The school system is not designed with young, energetic boys in mind– especially since boys deve...

How will you pass your faith on to the next generation? Psalm 78:4 charges us to “tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about his power and his mighty wonders.” In this psalm, Asaph implored Jewish fathers to pass the faith from one generation to the next because he knew people would be prone to forgetting what God had done for them. Good parenting requires us to share hel...

Why do boys like to play with cars and trucks? In 2002, a study at Texas A&M University was designed to explore this question. Researchers took male and female monkeys, and gave them equal access to both traditional boy and girl toys. Interestingly, the male monkeys naturally gravitated towards the traditional male toys, like cars, while the females did likewise with the girl toys, like dolls....

Has your son become your idol? That may seem like a ridiculous question. But for even the most well-intentioned parents, their son’s happiness and success can consume their entire life, to the point that it becomes more important than their relationship with GOd. Take some time to sit with God and reflect on your relationship with your son. Are you willing to discipline him to develop his characte...