Why are boys in modern culture struggling to live confident and meaningful lives? It might have something to do with the avalanche of negative messages society is bombarding them with. Jeff Schadt, the president and CEO of Revive Family, frequently gives seminars addressing the most prominent issues facing today’s youth. One of the worst problems is culture’s attack on healthy masculinity. “All these messages [are] telling us that we’re the problem,” he says. Boys lose their confidence, and they become men who are afraid to embrace their God-given, healthy masculinity. How can we address this issue? As parents, we can start by tackling this issue head-on in the home and providing a safe and nurturing environment for our sons. “We can punish them right into the world or we can love them right into our influence,” exclaims Jeff.

TAKEAWAYS

Love your kids unconditionally, and they will be far more likely to come to you first when they’re having a problem

Sometimes kids will continue to misbehave because they believe they’ll never live up to their parents’ expectations

Give your child a safe space to discuss their feelings and disappointments

Remember, the Bible says nobody is perfect, so let’s not expect perfection from our children