Have you ever heard your son say, “I’m bored”?

If so, you’re not alone.

These days, boys stay inside the house watching their digital devices for way too many hours a day. In fact, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, kids spend an average of 4 to 6 hours a day playing video games and watching TV.

Do your boys a favor by introducing them to the great outdoors. As you explore the woods together, you’ll develop memories that will last a lifetime.

And guess what? Before you know it, those cries of “I’m bored” will fade away.

For more information on how to have fun with your son in the great outdoors, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com for a Proven Process that is helping transform boys into godly men.

Sometimeshttps://www.traillifeusa.com/raisinggodlyboys, the routines of life can make us feel as if we’re running on a hamster wheel. 

If you had a pet hamster, you know that they love running. Give a hamster a hamster wheel, and they’ll run on it day after day after day.

While there’s certainly value in developing life routines, it’s vitally important that boys experience times of adventure beyond the norms of life. Their minds and bodies crave action and excitement! They need physical and mental challenges that motivate them to work hard and help them grow into godly men.

One of the best places to help boys grow and have fun is in the great outdoors. Leave the hamster wheel behind. Try hiking or having fun at an archery range.

These adventurous experiences will not soon be forgotten . . . For more ideas on outdoor activities, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

A battle rages—and boys are on the front lines. They are daily bombarded by anti-Christian philosophies:

Relativism—disrupts truth and biblical morality,

Humanism—teaches that a person must depend on himself, not God, if this is true, then why do we even need God?

And evolution—teaches that we evolved by mere chance, the very existence of a loving Creator is ridiculed.

Don’t let these worldly philosophies destroy your son’s faith in Christ. Teach him to stand on the solid Word of God.

Training your son in today’s secular culture isn’t easy. It requires time and attention. Learn about a Proven Process that can help you accomplish this. Visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com for free downloadable resources.

A reporter asked Thomas Edison, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

One of the greatest inventions of the 19th century was the lightbulb. But creating the lightbulb required lots of trial and error.

Failure is a part of life. In fact, it’s normal and natural. And even though no one likes to fail, it teaches us to do better and to strive harder as we reach for our goals.

Boys need a challenge. Even though trying something new may result in failure, that failure is helping them develop important character traits that are essential for future success.

Are you helping your boys learn from failure? Visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com for practical tips on how to help your boys grow into godly young men.

Have you ever walked across a rickety bridge and wondered if it could manage the weight?

If you are carrying something heavy that fear can be very real.

Carrying truth can be like that. Especially when you are carrying truth to a boy.

Make sure the bridge -- your connection to that boy -- is strong enough to carry the weight of that truth.

The reality with boys, particularly teens, is that simply telling them the truth isn’t enough. You’ve got to have a connection -- a bridge -- strong enough to carry that truth for the truth to have its full impact, otherwise, you are just breaking bridges.

For more parenting advice and information about a Proven Process that is helping boys grow into godly men, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

Have you given your son any “tummy time” today? 

“Tummy time” is a fairly new concept in the parenting world, in which parents of infants are encouraged to let their baby spend time on their stomach. Babies often protest and find it very uncomfortable. But without this valuable time, they will not strengthen critical muscles or eventually learn to crawl. 

No matter your son’s age, he still needs one small challenge each day. This could be saying his own order at the restaurant, calling the vet to make an appointment for his dog, or completing a puzzle– anything that he would not normally choose to do himself. He may protest and find it uncomfortable, but it will strengthen his resilience muscle and build his self confidence. 

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

What’s the difference between being a smart parent and an overprotective parent?

It’s a hard balance to strike. But as Christians, we have a secret weapon that we often forget about: Prayer.

Every boy is different, and parenting strategies that work well with one boy can sometimes have disastrous results with another. But the one method that will always work is hitting our knees in prayer, asking God for wisdom, and surrendering our sons’ lives to God.

This doesn’t mean we will become perfect parents– or that we will always make the right decision. But the difference between an overprotective parent and a smart parent is simply parenting not out of fear and control– but out of faith and trust in God.

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

It only takes a small mistake– such as incorrect hip placement– to send a novice rock climber on a painful slide back down the rock wall.

In the same way, there’s a small mistake you can make in disciplining your son that can cause you to lose ground with him: getting too emotional.

It can be difficult to not cry or raise your voice when addressing heavy topics with your boy. But as soon as you show emotion, two things will happen in your son’s brain– he will become distracted, and lose respect for you.

Instead, regulate your own emotions by taking a deep breath, and speak to your son in concise, calm statements. He will listen more closely, and be more likely to respond calmly in turn.

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

If you could pick a superpower as a parent, what would it be? The ability to teleport your son to every sports practice instead of making the long drive?

Researchers have found that every parent has a “superpower” of sorts that can improve their relationship with their son, help him avoid perfectionism, and promote emotional health. It’s  simply this: an apology.

There’s no need to make your apology emotional or turn it into a long monologue. But when you know you’ve messed up as a parent, sincerely and concisely tell your son “I’m sorry”.  It will make him respect you more, and pave the way for him to learn the superpower of apologies in his own life.

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

Who does your child really belong to?

I’ll give you a hint: It’s not you.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

God is the creator and owner of everyone and everything. We are called to be his ambassador and steward everyone and everything he’s given to us.

Author Paul Tripp says it’s vital for us to understand that we have no independent, autonomous authority as a parent. God grants us the right and power to exercise authority.

As we strive to raise godly boys, do we have an owner or ambassador mentality?
For more information about a Proven Process that is helping boys grow into godly men, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.