As a father of a grown up son, it is important to guide your son towards the fullness of manhood. You need to help him get in touch with that part of him that would allow him to have good relationships with others.
Teach your son to follow his inner voice, instead of being vulnerable to peer pressure. A son that learns to trust and value his own inner thoughts can lead others. Leadership qualities will present themselves when he has good self-esteem, and confidence and security in his own ideas and goals.
Fathers need to teach their sons about authenticity. Teach your son that when he can be himself, only then will he be loved for being who he truly is. He doesn’t need to pretend to be who he is not just to be accepted by others.
A father needs to teach his son how to stay connected to his emotions, how to express them freely, rather than burying them so deeply that they either interfere or influence their behaviour negatively.
Teach your son to be respectful. Teach your son how to respect a woman as well as her body. Your son needs to know how important it is to value what other people say to him, validate their feelings, and be reliable. These are important behaviours for secure sons fathers need to reinforce.
Fathers should teach their sons to take responsibility for making mistakes. By teaching your son to recognize and acknowledge his mistakes, he will learn that his real muscularity comes from within, and that his behaviour can have lasting effects. His good character is created through the consequences of taking responsibility for his actions.
It is important for fathers to teach their sons about intimacy. Your son should know that intimacy requires the ability to open and commit to another person in love and honesty. This requires suspending control, while merging with another person emotionally.
Teach your son to have empathy for others. Your son shouldn’t be possessive or be a bully just to prove his point. Empathy allows him to put himself in another person’s shoes and see the world from their perspective. Teaching your son to have a strong sense of self, allows them the freedom to be empathetic towards others.
Teach your son generosity. When your son learns to be generous with things, he also learns to be generous with his heart.
Teach your son social skills. If your son possesses social skills and survival skills, he will go through life empowered to face life’s many challenges. When you teach him how to relate with others, he won’t be shy to mingle with others.
Teach him to have good coping skills. Teach your son to manage stress, to not be reactive and, in essence, hold his peace when he is provoked.
As a father, teach your son kindness. It’s important to teach your son that words really do hurt, so they should be measured and used wisely. In times of conflict, it is important for your son to learn how to put his head in his heart, and let both be his guide.