My father taught me that a man is only as good as his word and his reputation. In today's world nobody cares about that anymore. But I'm making damn sure my kids understand it. They see me conduct business fairly, treat everyone with respect regardless of their station, and own my mistakes instead of making excuses. That's the gentlemen's code. That's what we pass down.
Your boys are lucky to have that example. I've got four and I'm constantly thinking about what they're absorbing from how I show up. Honor might look different now but it's still what holds families together.
Man, I respect that. My kids see me every day keeping my word on the small stuff - saying I'll help with homework and actually putting the phone down. That reputation at home matters more than anywhere else.
This. My dad was the same way and it stuck with me harder than anything he could have said. You're doing the right thing passing it on.
The world's different now but the fundamentals haven't changed. A man's integrity is all he really has. How are you teaching this to your boys specifically?
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Teaching kids that their word matters is everything. It's not just about honor, it's about giving them a framework for how to live when nobody's watching. Your father set you up right.