When does a boy become a man?

[Averageman]

I work with many younger "men". Most of them 10 to 30 years my junior.
I can say at 50 that most younger "men" aren't what they used to be; perhaps it is my age or perhaps this observation is correct.
As I am raising a teenage Son, I constantly strive to bring him to Manhood with the necassary skills, integrity and education to give him that edge he needs to be successful.
I've always pushed hard work and responcability and held my Son accountable. He isn't perfect, but he seems much further along than most of his peers and many of the "men" I work with.
What happened to Men in Amercia, did we fail our juniors?
How do you other Fathers out there deal with this?
Thanks
A/M

[Steve Paulson]

Wow...HUGE topic, and the importance can't be understated. "Raising a Modern Day Knight" by Robert Lewis is a cornerstone piece that every father of a son should read. It'll make your heart pound. He highlights the importance of ceremony, graduating your growing son into new phases of his development, and guides you in what your son needs from you along the way. It's critical for a son to hear from his father that he's become a man. His identity is more in your hands than you know. I love my dad, but he never told me and I was confused for several years. Get that book! Sounds like you're doing a great job, dad. Keep it up.

[olywa]

12 per Jewish Law.

[austin]

Many young men have no fathers.

I talk to a single mom and she is looking for male role models for her son.

Football coach, boy scouts, etc.

I asked her where his dad is. She said dad is a drunk. (Why did she choose him for a dad?)

I told her she should get her son to join the Marines or the Combat Arms slot in the Army.

[ZMB HNTR]

Somewhat sensitive area for me as likely with some here my father figure wasn't any type of good role model. A brief summation; work before family, left my mom, sister and I on my 15th birthday for another woman and the child of their adultery. Kinda hot-blooded Italian, summed up by "ready, fire, aim." I met my wife when we were both very young (15, 14 respectively) and we were married by 20 - without a bun in the oven amazingly! I committed at that time to never be like my father and to love my wife and future family the best that I could. I suppose I was forced to grow up rather quickly, I certainly was a man before I could legally drink.

[WVShooter]

Have we failed our juniors? Unless you just flat out ignore them I don't think so.
The older ones of us on here had WW2 and Korea vets as our fathers. We were taught from an
early age by both their examples as well as their words what being a man was about. Sure we may have had a few
other heroes too, Superman, Batman, but they were in the fashion of real men too. Even our sports heroes were mostly veterans also.
Don't get me wrong, there were many fine examples of real men that didn't/couldn't serve but they still did their part.
We were pretty much surrounded by real men.

Today many kids are from fatherless homes, were raised to be Obama type libs,
and have have drugged out rapper and other "musicians" to look up too.
Hell just look at the crap they have been fed in school and on the tube.

When does he become a man? You both will know. However it doesn't hurt to say "I'm proud of the man you have become,"
I think it will mean a lot to both of you.

[bae]

I can say at 50 that most younger "men" aren't what they used to be; ...
How do you other Fathers out there deal with this?

Well, I only have a teenage daughter, so I have to approach it from the other direction. I teach her not to be interested in metrosexual emo slacker drug-using game-playing free-loading hippy commie pantywaists.

[Santander]

C'mon Bae... you are your daughter's father... no guy will ever be good enough. LOL

[Destro]

When he adopts the mentality of .'It is how you handle life that counts'.

[WVShooter]

C'mon Bae... you are your daughter's father... no guy will ever be good enough. LOL

LOL I agree. Then wait till you are a grandfather and then see how even stricter the rules would be if you have your way.
"Big deal, you passed her Dad's test, you still have to pass MINE punk!"