My son turns 7 tomorrow and I have been racking my brain about how to tie this birthday into a bigger picture manhood plan for him. I have been reading Robert Lewis’ book Raising a Modern-Day Knight. He subtitles it “a father’s role in guiding his son to authentic manhood’. It is a great read and very thought provoking. He suggests making a big deal of some key dates on your son’s calendar.
1. His 13th birthday- puberty- that great transition at the start of adolescence when a boy’s body wreaks havoc with his mind
2. His graduation from high school- when , for the first time a young man experiences unbridled freedom
3. His graduation from college – when a man must face the world and begin providing for himself
4. His marriage day- when a man assumes responsibility for a wife and a family of his own.
I am thinking about adding Josh’s 7th Birthday to that mix of special days. He is moving from a childhood to a boyhood. The next few years are filled with so many pre-adolescent activities that are golden opportunities and are great years to begin to form some great habits that will lead him to being ready for the next manhood stages. He is a first grader now and it is time to take more responsibilities. But I am trying to figure out what his expectation should be over the next few years. If you have any ideas I would love to hear you thoughts.
I really like Lewis’s definition of manhood (I will throw this in for your review).
A real man:
Rejects Passivity
Accepts Responsibility
Leads Courageously
Expects a Greater Reward
Pretty good stuff, huh?
Life and times of the howitzers 