Here’s a simple language shift that can reach the heart of your son. 

When your boy is bickering with a sibling or a friend, your instinct might be to say “Son, you need to be kind.”

But author Dr. Emerson Eggerichs says that you might need to say something else.

Dr. Eggerichs is widely known for his writings about how a man’s deepest desire is for respect. He says that desire starts when boys are very young. So much so, that if you tell your son to be kind and loving – that concept may not resonate very deeply with him.

If you, however, tell your boy to be respectful to others— he may listen more closely. Young men crave respect so much that they understand why another person would need it, too.

For more ideas on raising boys to be godly men, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.