Apparently, we are experiencing a shift in our society. The gist of the video is that the three most harmful words you can say to a boy is "Be a man."
In other words, suck it up, don't cry, don't show your emotions. Ever.
I don't know about you, but these words were never spoken to me: not by a coach, a teacher, my brothers, or even my dad.
I also don't know that I would ever say these words to my own boys--after all, what is it really to "Be a man"? Some sort of machismo responsibility?
If there's no how-to, step-by-step instruction manual, then they aren't for me. Or my kids.
Instead, I think I'll say these. Sage advice, if you ask me.
Regarding Growing Up
- Eat your vegetables. They may taste yucky to you today but I promise, when you are older and someone adds bacon and sauteed onions to your brussels sprouts, you will clean your plate.
- Be nice to you brother. He may give a toast about you at your wedding one day. Don't provide too much fodder.
- No. We aren't there yet. See that sign? That's our street sign. We just left the house. Here's a map. Chart our journey. Someday the satellites that control GPS will fall from the sky and you'll have to know how to read a map.
- Only five more minutes on the iPad before it rots your brain.
- Never shave against the grain. Period.
- And by the way, sorry for the acne, glasses and braces. You didn't win the genetic lottery here.
Concerning Others
- Be respectful of everyone and everything. That includes the roly-poly bugs you squish. Don't squish them.
- Always be a good friend.
- Be yourself.
- Remember that other people are just being themselves, too. It's okay if they're different from you. We still ask them to play superheroes and build blocks. They might teach you something new.
Sports
- I guess it's okay that you root for Ohio State. I've picked nothing but losers when it comes to sports. From high school to college and professional sports, I've only witnessed one championship team. And I was ten when it happened.
- When I beat you to the top of the stairs in our nightly race, it's to teach you how to lose. No tantrums. No hitting. But a "You tried really hard" can go a long way in learning that not everyone wins all the time.
- That said, it's okay to cry when you lose. It's okay to cry when you are sad. It's okay to cry period. It's okay to have emotions and show them to other people. That's called human.
-Greg
Love, love, love these wise words! How lucky you boys are to have you two as parents!
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