As a society, we put a lot of expectations on young men to behave in a gentlemanly manner: e.g. to be respectful of others, to pursue a career, to provide for the future, and to eventually have a family and be a solid and dependable force in everyone’s lives. Raising your son can be a real challenge. Here’s a thought: Could we be so concerned with what our son’s need to be there for other people, that we inadvertently encourage them to lose themselves in the process?
I believe that being a gentleman is about more than what we’ve traditionally been taught. Sure there are gentlemanly traits we hope our sons will naturally acquire; but there’s something bigger and all encompassing that has to happen before any of that.
Simply, being a gentleman happens when our sons like and honor themselves, and when they are at ease with who they are. As their parents, or brothers, or uncles or even family friends — we have the capacity to guide them to that place. This is how we give them the best chance of leading happy lives, full of rich experiences and amazing relationships.
Two Founding Principles
Children are aware
Even when they’re tiny babies — or perhaps especially when they’re tiny babies — children are alert and in tune with what’s going on around them. They’re not vessels for us to fill, or pieces of clay for us to mold: they are bright beacons of light, with their own ideas and points of view about the world. Respecting and acknowledging that is essential.
Parenting is not about teaching, but being
The easiest and most natural way for you to pass on any of what I’m about to share is to be it yourself. It’s a case of practice what you preach — though I don’t recommend preaching of any kind! See it more as a case of being what you teach.
The Big One: Raise Him without Judgment
Judgment is the most limiting mindset we can adopt, and yet it’s a societal norm. We constantly decide whether people, actions or decisions, are good or bad, right or wrong, and it stops us from seeing the whole picture of anything or anyone — including ourselves.
If you can get out of the habit of judgment by raising your son to be open and inquisitive rather than conclusive, you’ll be giving him such a gift.
A couple of considerations:
- Notice how often you criticize yourself. Could that be picked up by your son? Are you reinforcing the idea that self-judgment is okay?
- How do you speak about others around him? Do you assess their looks, or their choices? Again, think about the messages you’re communicating.
- Crucially — never judge him or any of his choices, no matter how hard you have to bite your tongue!
Just noticing where you use judgment is the first step towards eliminating it. Show your son there is a different way to be.
Ask questions — and don’t try to have all the answers
When you’re together, be in that moment. Give your son undivided attention. Listen to him. When he’s sharing a problem with you, be present and resist the urge to tell him how you think he should deal with it. Then, ask questions. If you’re not sure what he needs from you — that’s your first question. How can I help? How can we make this problem lighter?
Questions allow us to see a multitude of perspectives. Answers, on the other hand, are conclusive. When you let go of the urge to hand answers to your son, you are giving him the space to grow as the leader in his own life: a mark of a true gentleman.
In giving him the freedom to make his own choices, form his own identity, and essentially be who he is — you are giving your son an amazing start in life, and guiding him on his path to becoming the gentleman he naturally is.
Dain
P.S. For the full article from the “Guy and The Blog” and to get more tips and tools from this publication, please visit here.
P.S.S. And for more tools and tips, please check out my new book called Return of the Gentleman! It’s a start of a different possibility that we as men – and as women – can choose if we are willing to give up the stereotypes of men, and go beyond the points of views of this reality. Go here to find out more! 🙂
