“I need my boys to come work on your farm and learn how to a real man’s job–working with their hands.”

It was another man wanting to send his sons to learn from my husband some good old fashioned manual labor. It’s usually the dads of teens who say this hoping for a boot camp like experience that churns out full grown men who aren’t afraid to break a sweat and bring home hands covered in callouses.

Too bad that’s not often the case.

But what if dads of young boys realized how crucial it is to implement chores and outdoor work from a young age? What if they knew these jobs prepared them for a successful life no matter their career choice later?

What if we invested the hours now with our young children to give them life skills rather than hoping for a miracle when they’re teenagers?

Hey dads, grab those boys of yours and get outside with them. Pull some weeds. Mow the grass. Take out the trash. Start small and see where it leads.

I know it’s hotter than mess outside but guess what? It’s another great life lesson. Sometimes there’s crappy jobs we have to do. Nobody’s going to do them for us. Learn to persevere through the sweat pouring down your face and the sun baking your skin.

Dads, get out there with your boys and teach them how to be men because no one else will do it for you.

They see integrity, bravery, perseverance, strength, faith, and hope in you. But you have to be willing to model that for them too. Be the example. 💙