I am always impressed when I meet a young man whose parents raised him with good manners. I think that is because today, too many young people are glued to their phones, with earbuds in, letting real life pass them by.
Are you a boy mom? Know that you can foster a loving relationship with your son while raising him into a man you’d be proud to launch into the world. Wondering how? Here are some great rules to teach your son.
- When someone shares a secret, keep it.
- Your handshake should be with a firm grip, looking them in the eye.
- Never shake hands sitting down.
- If you borrow a car, return it with a full tank of gas.
- If you give your word, keep it.
- Be where you say you are going to be.
- If you are running late, let them know.
- Make an effort, don’t make excuses.
- Always thank veterans and active-duty military.
- Give credit to others. Take the blame if needed.
- Keep a sport coat in your closet. You never know when you’ll need one.
- Seek out the girl who looks left out or the new kid.
- Keep playing games with your parents.
- When someone serves you a meal, look for ways you can help, even if it is just doing the dishes.
- Sincerely say please and thank you.
- Be confident and humble.
- Always have some cash.
- Pick up after yourself.
- Strive to be someone that kids will look up to.
- When you get married, know you marry her whole family too.
- Be kind.
- Call your mother and father. Call your grandparents.
- Open doors for women and others.
- Balance your bank account and take care of your other personal money matters.
- Remember your parents’ birthdays and Mother’s/Father’s Day. You’ve got 364 days to prepare.
- Remove your hat when you enter a building.
- Respect your elders.
- Keep reading books. Never stop learning.
- Set goals and work toward them.
- Challenge yourself every year to learn something new.
Some of the best ways we can teach our children are by being present with them. Examples of this are having dinner together, playing games together, and doing chores together. If we don’t actively parent our children, they will learn from television, movies, and video games.
The effort you make will never be time wasted. However, not teaching our sons how to be good men will most definitely be a regret.
If you’re raising a daughter, here’s a list I found of Rules to Teach Your Daughter, created by Richard Strachan in the Quora space “Loving and Amazing World.” I’d add to his list to teach her how to care for her car, cook, and balance a checkbook.
Are there any rules that I missed? Please share them by leaving your comment below!
