A father watches his son play. The son is four…the father remembers being a son. What he remembers is not what was said, but what wasn’t. This makes a difference. For you see a boy (girls too) needs to be told certain things as he grows up. If the child doesn’t hear it, he could become a wanderer.
I don’t know all the reasons for why a father’s influence is so powerful. But one thing is for sure it can build up or it can tear down. In many ways it is subtle, and in others it is overt. Many fathers, because of their pursuits in money making, power grabbing and countless others, fail to recognize how they are impacting. Like it or not everyone is a leader…our influence confirms that.
Here are some things that should be said before too much time has passed:
- "I love you."
- "I’m proud of you."
- "Great job!"
- "You matter and you’ll do great things."
- "I’m sorry, I was wrong, please forgive me."
Are those words tough to say? Yes they are, but you must build a habit around them. If you don’t, your son or daughter will find themselves in adulthood wishing you had.