Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith:
Manliness is an endangered virtue these days. But authors, speakers, and parents of six boys, Hal and Melanie Young are on a mission to help parents raise real men. Hal joins me today. Hal, welcome to the program!

Hal Young:
Hi Mike! Great to be here!

Mike:
Hal, parents of boys may feel like they got the short end of the child-raising stick. They get dirt, noise, short attention spans, and little appreciation for the finer things of life. How do you encourage parents to develop a vision and appreciation for manliness in their own sons?

Hal:
Well Mike, it’s good to speak about parents catching the vision, because raising boys into men requires that mom and dad know where they’re heading. That way they can give the vision to their sons as well.

You know the Scriptures say that men are supposed to be strong and courageous, and they’re supposed to be righteous and bold as lions. We admire that in men, but frankly, boys are like diamonds in the rough; and our job as parents is to shape and to polish them. We need to teach them how to take their less-than-humble strength and that love of adventure and put it to discipline serving others.

What we encourage parents to do is to look for role models and keep those in front of their sons continuously. We look for examples in Scripture, in the news, in history—the examples of men who are acting like men ought to act—and then we use these to teach our sons. Boys need heroes, and we parents, our business is to provide them. Better yet, we dads ought to live in such a way that our sons see us as heroes.

Mike:
Hal, that is terrific advice that could transform the perspective of parents listening. Thanks for joining us today! And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.