Raising Godly Boys Minute

It’s a sad fact that anxiety is attacking kids across the country. According to the Center for Disease Control, 7.1% of children have been diagnosed with anxiety. That’s around 4.4 million kids! There are many reasons for this anxiety, including fear of contracting COVID, worry about finding friends at school, and even dread about what the future holds. As a parent, it’s important to remind your s...

Two simple words strike terror in a parent’s heart. Those words are: “Assembly Required.” And yet, too often we ignore the instruction manual when putting together a bike or race car track for our son. We think, “Yeah, I can do this by myself!” But after hours of frustration, we swallow our pride and study the instruction manual to assemble the toy. Parenting your son is also a complex process, es...

Each day contains 1,440 minutes. That may seem like a bunch of time, but it passes by in a flash. The same can be said for weeks, and months, and even years. Time is passing quickly . . . that’s a fact. But here’s another fact: You don’t want to look back on your parenting years with regret. Don’t allow the busyness of life to pull you away from investing time and attention in your son. Because—be...

Statistics indicate that girls struggle with self-image problems more than boys. But if it’s your son that’s hurting because he doesn’t like how he looks, statistics don’t matter. You just want to help your son. Compounding the problem are social media sites promoting their version of what is physically attractive and culturally trendy. When boys compare themselves with these unrealistic expectati...

Boys love roller coasters. A popular one is called “Mako.” It towers 200 feet high and races through the air at 73 miles per hour. That’s a crazy ride, but parenting boys can be even more scary—or exciting—depending on how you look at it. Maybe your son begins wanting his own space. Then, the next day, he wants to spend all the time in the world with you. Even when the parenting roller coaster fee...

Parenting boys is tough. Parenting teenage guys is 100 times tougher! Or at least it can feel like it. When your teenage son challenges your authority, when he blatantly disobeys, or when he rolls his eyes at your advice—it’s natural to feel frustrated. It’s easy to think, “Why me? Why do I have a son that acts like this?” In these moments of crisis, take heart. Remember that the Lord makes NO mis...

Who is your son’s hero? Is he a sports star? An actor? A musician? As you guide your son through today’s popstar-infatuated culture, encourage him to study the lives of godly men who displayed courage, service, and devotion. Introduce your son to heroes of the faith found in Hebrews 11. There he’ll read about ordinary people who were used by God in extraordinary ways. Your son will be captivated w...

How important is a firm foundation? The construction of an eight-floor tower began in 1173 AD. The design and architecture was considered genius. But the foundation was not properly tested. After the first three floors were constructed, it was discovered the tower was leaning! You guessed it … this was the famed “Leaning Tower of Pisa.” A firm foundation is of vital importance in a boy’s life. Whe...

For decades now, fathers have taught their sons how to ride a bike using the “seat grip” technique. The father holds the bike upright by firmly gripping the back of the seat while running along behind the bike. The son steers and pedals confidently knowing Dad is behind him, holding him up. Finally, the day comes when Dad removes his grip. The boy is pedaling and steering on his own, but doesn’t r...

Did you know that clear boundaries actually help kids feel free? There was an experiment done at a daycare center. At first, the outdoor playground at the daycare was surrounded by a fence. When the children ran outside to play, they would climb the fence and try to see what was behind it. But when the fence was taken down, the children didn’t explore the wide open space. Instead, they stayed clus...

Have you heard about the sermon on the MOUND? Baseball manager Tommy Lasorda visited the pitcher’s mound to speak to his young, skinny pitcher who was getting shelled. He looked into his eyes and said, “I don’t see a scared, timid kid. I see a fighter. From now on, your name will be ‘Bulldog.’” The name of the pitcher was Orel Hershiser, and he would go on to win the Cy Young award as the best pit...

What’s your favorite Benjamin Franklin quote? He famously said, “The only two certainties in life are death and taxes.” We laugh at that because we know that life is certainly full of change. This change is especially obvious in children. As parents, we sometimes wish our adorable toddlers would stay young forever. But they grow—and soon they’re attending kindergarten, then elementary, then high s...

Does your son ever complain? Most likely, yes. Perhaps he whines about food, or chores, or having to study for a test. Maybe he complains about not getting the latest digital gadget—or about not being allowed to do a certain activity. Complaining is almost second nature. However, as a parent, be intentional in teaching your son to focus on the positives of life, rather than on the negatives. That’...

What does it mean to be a man? Today’s anti-Christian culture defines a “real” man as being stylish, popular, and rich. But being a man involves so much more. Qualities of biblical masculinity include: Courage Service Leadership Sacrifice Commitment Self-control And unconditional love. Are you teaching your son these characteristics? In 1 Timothy 4:12, the Apostle Paul encourages Timothy with thes...

Ever wonder why your son can spot the elusive bad guy on his video game, but doesn’t seem to notice the dust collecting on his dresser? Well, there’s actually a biological reason for that. When compared to girls, boys have more rods than cones in their eyes. This makes boys more sensitive to movement, and more likely to focus on things farther away. The difference makes sense historically. Men hav...

You’re at the park with your son and his best friend. A hundred feet away is a water fountain. Your son asks if he can go get a drink. When you say yes, the two boys race to the water fountain. Your son’s friend yells triumphantly when he gets there first. Isn’t it funny how little boys often try to make everything a competition? As a parent, use that fact to keep your son engaged! Whenever you ca...

For years, a pair of sunglasses determined my worth. When I was in my twenties, I proudly made my first big purchase: a pair of Serengeti sunglasses. But shortly after buying those sunglasses, I lost them. It might sound silly, but that incident plagued me for decades. I told myself that I couldn’t be trusted and didn’t deserve nice things. I doubted my worth as a man and my ability to be a good d...

What’s something that does not come naturally to you? Maybe public speaking makes you break out in a sweat, or you think running is torturous. Now, how would you feel if you had to spend eight hours a day doing that very thing you are not good at? That’s the reality for many boys. Boys are natural explorers. When they reach school age, they are expected to spend most of the day sitting. No wonder...

The Bible is full of men who ruined their own lives. Moses was full of self-doubt and had an anger problem. Peter lied and said he didn’t know Jesus. David betrayed and killed a man. And yet, so many years later, we still remember those men not for the mistakes they made, but for being leaders in the faith. Kids today, especially boys, are desperately in need of positive mentors. You probably thin...

Have you heard about Generation Z? No, it’s not a new boy band. It’s a label applied to those born between 1997 and 2012. Many people look at today’s Generation Z as media-obsessed teenagers who are lazy, cynical, and unambitious. But this stereotyping fails to reveal the clever, creative, and compassionate way these teens are influencing their communities. Many times, they simply haven’t been ins...

Do you like to run? Most people don’t. To excel, the sport requires training, endurance, and determination. In some ways, parenting is a lot like running a race. But the parenting race is more similar to a marathon than a sprint. When our boys are young, it feels like we’re providing constant instruction and correction. We wonder, “Will this ever end?” But before you know it, you’ve rounded the co...

When was the last time you went on a scavenger hunt? Well, you know, they are making a comeback. Teenagers, especially, like the competitive aspect of searching for and finding a bunch of weird objects . . . all in the fastest time possible. Searching for plastic flamingos is hilarious, but don’t forget to teach your son about the importance of searching for wisdom in God’s Word. More than ever, t...

You know, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that only 18% of American homes consist of a mother, father, and child. That’s an incredibly sad statistic. It means that kids in over 100 million households don’t have the loving influence of either a mother or a father. More often than not, the father is the one missing from the home. This leaves boys without a role model and without a father’s guidance a...

Boys love football. Flag football is fun, but tackle football is an even bigger rush. Quarterbacks and wide receivers get a lot of the glory, but football coaches are quick to point out that it takes an entire team to win a football game. The same is true in parenting your son. As a parent, you are certainly the most influential person in his life. But his teachers, athletic coaches, and friends a...

Growing up, I never heard my dad say he was proud of me. It’s just something his generation didn’t do. One day, when I was in my twenties, I was astonished when, from the pulpit, my dad mentioned how proud he was of me. Six months later, he passed away. I’m so thankful I heard those life-giving words directly from him. But I realize now that I need to lean on my Heavenly Father to help me overcome...