What Every Father Should Teach his Son

Every father has the potential to have a lasting impact on his son’s life from the very first day he is born.

If a dad takes advantage of the opportunity to be a positive force in his son’s life, and he is consciously aware of the influence he has in shaping this child, a father will be able to bring out the best version of that child.

As men work to grow that important relationship between father and son, there are certain priceless lessons they should try to teach their sons, that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Here are some of the vital things a father should teach his son:

How to be vulnerable – It’s okay to let another person know your fears and dreams. Especially when that someone is your life partner. Boys can learn this from their father’s relationship with their mothers.
How to handle stress – Boys should not have to watch or experience their father yell when under presure or stress. Teach them how to handle their emotions and keep stress in check
How to be a partner – This will teach them how to work together and foster a better relationship with their own wives when they become adults.
That mental strength is just as important as physical strength – A man is not just determined by his muscles, how much thought he puts into caring for his family and friends is what truly defines a man.
How to be a role model – Fathers will need to always remember that someday, their children will grow up and become what they their fathers have taught them to be.
How to both lead and follow – A good leader must learn to follow before he can lead. Likewise, a father must learn to be humble and take advice from his wife, and children too.
How to put the interests of others before his own – This is basically what parenting is. A father always puts his family first. Let your son see you do this and see that you also do it happily and proudly.
How to love himself – In a world filled with subliminal messages from society and the media about who youths are meant to be, self love has become rare. Fathers need to help their sons love their uniquness and their differences. Help them realize that there will always be someone better at certain skills than they are, but this does not change how special they are, because they too are uniquely and wonderfully made.