Teaching my son to give a firm handshake and look people in the eye

Jun 201 min read

Been working with my 8 year old on this. Took him to a networking event with me last weekend and he was nervous as hell. But I reminded him that a man's word and his presence matter. We practiced beforehand - firm grip, not crushing but not limp either, and always make eye contact. He shook hands with about 15 of my colleagues and by the end he was doing it right. One of the older guys told me 'that boy's got character.' Made me proud as hell. Any of you guys doing this with your kids?

11 comments192 views

Comments(11)

SScottRegularJun 21

That's awesome. Teaching kids those small professional skills early makes such a difference. Did he get to shake hands with people at the event? Those real moments where they practice with actual adults are worth more than any lesson at home.

LLuke M.RegularJun 20

You're teaching him something valuable that'll serve him his whole life. The confidence from a solid handshake and eye contact opens doors. My oldest is getting there now and I'm seeing how it actually impacts how people respond to him.

JJosh M.RegularJun 22

This is such an important skill that nobody teaches anymore. Good on you for actually taking him somewhere to practice it in real situations. Did he get to shake hands with actual people at the event?

BBradRegularJun 21

I've been trying to get my 7 year old to do this without it feeling awkward. The eye contact part is the hardest because he still gets shy around adults he doesn't know. Any tricks that worked for your son?

RRick M.RegularJun 21

Love this. Simple but important life skills. My son is 6 and I've been working on eye contact too. It's wild how much it impacts how people see kids once they nail this stuff.

CChris M.RegularJun 21

This is the kind of stuff that actually matters. Teaching him confidence and how to present himself will pay off his whole life. Props for putting in the work on this.

CChuck M.RegularJun 20

Eight is the perfect age to start that. The fact that you took him to the event instead of just lecturing him about it makes all the difference.

KKyleRegularJun 20

That's awesome you took him to a networking event with you. Eight is the perfect age to start learning these things. Did he actually use the handshake with people there or was he shy about it?

DDean F.RegularJun 20

That's the real parenting win right there. Confidence is everything at that age, and you're teaching him a skill that'll stick with him forever.

JJustinRegularJun 21

Honestly this stuff builds so much confidence in kids. I make my boys practice with me before we see family and it's changed how they introduce themselves completely. You're setting him up well.

BBradRegularJun 21

Love this. Those gentleman skills are becoming rarer and kids who have them stand out. Eight is the perfect age to start making it a habit before it feels awkward. How did he do in the actual interactions?