Teaching my son about honor and standing up for what's right | DadHQ

Teaching my son about honor and standing up for what's right

4d ago1 min read

My boy is 8 and I'm starting to see him face some social pressure at school. Some of the other kids were making fun of a kid with glasses and my son didn't speak up. We had a long talk about it and I told him that being a man means doing the right thing even when it's hard, especially when nobody's watching. I know he's young but I think these early lessons set the foundation. How are you all raising your boys to have backbone and integrity in this soft world?

6 comments199 views

Comments(6)

RRick M.Regular3d ago

8 is such a tough age for that stuff. The social dynamics are starting to matter to them but they don't have the emotional tools to handle pressure yet. Teaching him that his character matters more than fitting in is huge.

MMike R.Regular3d ago

How is he handling the peer pressure so far? My 8-year-old has started caring a lot about what the other kids think and it's been interesting to navigate without shutting down his social instincts.

DDerek M.Regular4d ago

This is where modeling honor matters more than lecturing. Let him see you stand up for what's right even when it costs you something. Kids pick up on that way more than what we actually say.

FFrank M.New Dad3d ago

The fact that you're already thinking about this puts you ahead of the game. My kids see me stand up for stuff I believe in and they mirror it. Keep talking to him about why you believe what you believe, not just what the rules are.

CChris M.Regular3d ago

This age is crucial. You're laying the foundation for how he'll handle pressure the rest of his life. Just make sure he knows that doing the right thing might be lonely sometimes but it's always worth it. And that you believe in him.

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KKevin M.New Dad2d ago

Eight is when they start really noticing social dynamics. My boy is that age too and we've had some heavy conversations about peer pressure. The key is making sure he knows you're on his side no matter what he chooses. Sounds like you're doing that.