How Do You Raise Your Son?

We always talk about how a girl should grow up. Let’s talk about boys now. Let’s talk about to how to raise our sons.

“There is more to a boy than what his mother sees. There is more to a boy than what his father dreams. Inside every boy lies a heart that beats. And sometimes it screams, refusing to take defeat. And sometimes his father’s dreams aren’t big enough, and sometimes his mother’s vision isn’t long enough. And sometimes the boy has to dream his own dreams and break through the clouds with his own sunbeams.” ― Ben Behunin

Perhaps our society has always been obsessed about how a girl should be raised. Or to be more precise, Indians have always taken an intricate amount of interest in what a girl should do, and what she must envision as she grows into a woman. In every family, there are a set of rules and restrictions that are passed on from the ancestors. Some rules are beyond human comprehension. I wonder why boys do not have to go through these grooming sessions in their childhood.

I know I am an amateur at this subject, and oh, I have no knowledge at all in this area, but I really think it would be great if boys are raised like this. (Some of these rules apply to girls too.)

1. Teach him to respect people and their ideas. He must be able to respect people younger than him. Teach him to respect the right things, and to shun prejudice against different cultures.

2. Art should be a major part of his childhood. Men who take interest in art tend to be smarter than the men who don’t. They tend to be more considerate too. Read to him during bed time. Encourage him to paint. Send him to music classes. Try and ensure that art and education go together.

3. Have you noticed that many men look for the qualities of their mother in a girl they like? It is impossible. Teach them that it is stupid. Your mother and the girl you like are two different people. No one can replace your mother. Teach them that from a very tender age.

4. Give him the freedom to make his choices right from his childhood.

5. It is okay if he fails and makes mistakes. Do not admonish him for that. It is not really a big deal if he scores 80%. Not everyone is meant to score 90%. Every time you urge him to set a 100% record in school, you are letting a ‘Mozart in the making’ slip away.

6. There is more to a girl than her looks, and her body. Teach him to understand and respect that.

7. We observe a lot of men flourishing with the male zeta ego. Teach your son not to thrust his ego on others.

8. Ask him to document his life. Give him a camera and a journal. Ask him to make memories, make him write down his thoughts and stories. Let him take pictures of the things around him.

9. Give him a pet. Let him know that the love for an animal is the purest form of love. His bond with his pet will be one of his best friendships and he will cherish it forever.

10. Travel a lot. Take him to different places. Let him meet different people. Introduce him to different cultures. Let him know the world. Let him experience different things.

Let me also tell you this, lest I may forget – stand by his side during thick and thin, and talk about his mistakes. With a strong support system like yours, your son would turn out to be an ideal man. You can take my word for it.

First published at author’s blog

Image of two boys via Shutterstock

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