Photo Credit
My son and I are busy today. Busy writing. I’m busy writing away for the Legacy Leaver Thursday post and he’s busy writing a school paper for English. As I look over at him I think where has the time gone. It seems like only yesterday he was my baby boy who would never leave his mother’s side, now in just a few short years he will be graduating, facing the world as a young man of God.
As I look back over the years I often find myself questioning, “Did I do enough?”. It’s often a question I have to keep in check and not become overwhelmed by as I leave the outcome of his future in the Lord’s hands.
Throughout the years one of the main things we’ve always wanted to instill in our son was the character trait of having good manners, especially towards women. It seems as if the meaning of chivalry is fading fast in today’s world. We all know that society is changing at a rapid rate. We see it every day in the media of what one person has done to the next. It’s up to us as Christian parents to be different and work towards shifting this tide and it all starts with how we raise our children at home.
There are many ways we can show our boys to have proper manners towards women such as reminding them to, say please and thank you, hold the door open for ladies, give up their seat when a woman walks in the room and there’s no more seats to be found, or to offer their assistance to a woman who they see struggling with a harder task.
These things matter, they make a difference. They may seem small and insignificant, but it’s the small choices we make today that will have a great impact for the rest of our lifetimes and beyond. It teaches them that there is something more they need to continuously be striving for. It also draws others closer to Jesus when they see our sons choosing to live a life that reflects the Lord.
My son and I were on the same page today with our writing. My son’s paper was about having a character that reflected the Lord. I want to share with you a line from his writing.
“I like to think that if I live a virtuous and moral life that I may one day inspire someone else to change the way in which they are living and follow God.”
My husband and I are not perfect at training our children. But we keep pressing onward with drawing our children closer to Jesus as the ultimate goal. Let’s take a stand for Jesus and walk together on this journey of parenthood as we raise young boys to be men with manners who serve the Lord.
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
~Now it’s time to link up !~
- To link up go to the sidebar and get the code for the Legacy Leaver Thursdays button, right click and “save as” on the code and then upload it into your post. Or you can provide a direct link somewhere in your post linking back here. That way other bloggers can join in too!
- Then copy and paste the direct link from your post, (not your blog url), into the linky tool below.
- This link up will be happening every Thursday at Leaving a Legacy. You can link up your posts that deal with leaving a legacy to your children and other loved ones. These posts can vary from spiritual lessons, to homeschooling tips, to recipes and homemaking skills that you want to pass down. You can also link up posts that offer encouragement to the community. I will do the best I can to read as many posts as possible throughout the week. However, if there are times that I miss you, know that I’m so grateful that you linked up and was so blessed to have you here!
- In order to create an encouraging community here, please take a moment to visit the person in front of you. Thank you!
For those of you that link up throughout the month, I will be choosing a “featured blogger”, for the following month. The featured blogger will be someone who actively participates in the link up, and who’s posts have really touched the community. They will receive free advertising for their blog on my sidebar for that month, and also be allowed to submit one approved guest post during that month.
The featured blogger for the month of January is Alisha Gratehouse from Flourish. Please take a moment to stop by and read her encouraging words! You can also check out her eBook devotional for children, “God Said So!”, here.
Many Blessings~
Linking to:
Thriving Thursdays
Proverbs 31 Thursdays
Thought Provoking Thursdays
Thank you for the opportunity to link up.
I too spend time with our son, even though he’s grown now. I work for him!
(I joke with other mothers, and say, “Be nice to your kids, someday you might work for them!)
Aren’t sons just the most wonderful blessings? I have 4 and they are all so kind and gentle—yet they are also strong and motivated. I pray they’ll grow up to be wonderful men of God like their father.
Hope you have a great weekend! This is my first time linking up.
Mrs. Sarah Coller
Thank you for stopping by today and linking up!
Blessings~
Shari
The other night my son noticed my husband helping an elderly woman down some steps. He noticed. He commented. And I know that his father’s act left an imprint on his heart,leaving a legacy of kindness and service toward others. We aren’t perfect parents either, but I do pray that those little, noticed random acts of kindness are what our children choose to pass on to their children. Thank You
I agree, I also pray that my children will pick up on these things and make a difference for their generation. Every little thing we do matters, they see it! Thank you for stopping by today!
Shari, this is a beautiful post. Something that has truly been on my heart for awhile now. I just ordered a book called “Training Him For the Other Woman.” As you said, chivalry is dying. Actually it is mostly dead. I fear what it will be like when my boys are grown. This is why we must teach our boys now, why I must teach my boys now. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I agree! We need to be the change the world sees so things get better! Thanks for linking up friend!
Blessings~
Shari
This post hits close to home, I’m in the trenches raising my little boy now. I found the book by Sheri Rose Shepherd “Preparing him for the other woman” it’s been so useful to me in the ways I try to teach him and prepare him to lead his own family one day.
Great post!!
I’ve never heard of that book, I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for stopping by today!
Blessings~
Shari
Amen! The responsibility for teaching morals and manners lies with the parents and must begin at a very early age. Thanks for the great post & for hosting & God bless!
Thank you for stopping by Laurie and for linking up!
Blessings~
Shari
This is my first time spending some time visiting your blog. I really love it and your heart. 🙂
Dionna
http://beautyinthestorm.com
Thank you for your kind words Dionna!
Blessings~
Shari
Hi Shari!
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog!
Many many blessings!
Gege
Wow, If he is already writing like that I’d say you did a fantastic job. I was just complaining the other day about a group of men I know that never seem to help clean up after a meal their mother slaved over. It breaks my heart every time.
As a mother of a daughter, I appreciate Moms of boys who raise them up with high standards for themselves and others. Sounds like you’re doing a great job.
Thank you! Each day is a journey and a new learning experience. I try to keep moving forward, training my son to look at the things that matter most in life. Thanks for stopping by today.
Ah, manners. As a public high school teacher I really appreciate those students with manners. It is obvious when the manners are natural to the student and it is also obvious when the manners have been forced. Thank you for making manners natural to your sons. Enjoy your SITS Day. PS I didn’t mention how many students need manners. Dare I go one step farther–and their parents, too.
What a sweet post and I couldn’t agree more! I hope that I can instill some manners in our young son as I was raised myself. I don’t want to be super strict, but I do want him to respect others, especially women and elders and those less fortunate.
Happy SITS Day. I absolutely love this post. I am the Mom to a 5 year old little boy and I feel that I have a bigger responsibility to raise him to be an awesome man with manners then I do with my daughter. My daughter is strong willed which makes it difficult now, but I don’t worry about her being a strong woman and taking care of herself. My son is sensitive, a Momma’s boy at this point, and I have already started teaching him to treat girls the way he will treat a future wife – with manners, being courteous, sensitive to her, and loving. Thank you for this post.
I have a 19 month old boy who already knows his manners. Manners and respect are two of the biggest things I want to get through to my child, and any future children. He’ll be holding the door for every woman within a 10 ft. radius of the door as soon as he can hold open doors. He already says please and thank you.
I love and respect any parent that tries to bring back chivalry and manners into their children. It’s a shame that it’s faded so much from today’s society, but as parents, it’s our opportunity to bring it back.
As mother of a boy, sometimes it’s disheartening how little attention is paid to raising boys to be good men. I truly appreciate your post and love to see others focused on raising men of God.
“Did I do enough?”
I think you always ask yourself that, as a parent. I mean, it’s not like a job, where you can quantify results and know for sure that you’re doing well. Thank you for sharing and Happy SITS Day!
As a mom of boys, I think it’s so important to instill in them good manners and respect towards women. From the sound of it, it seems you are doing a wonderful job of it!
Happy SITS Day!
As a mother of daughters, I’m so thankful for parents like you! I agree that teaching manners is fading… and how sad for our society. Sounds like you have done a terrific job with your boys:)
Thank you for this! This is so important in the lives of children. I appreciate you raising your boys with manners and to be real Men of God. Your boys are lucky to have such great parents! Your boys are going to be great Men one day!
Thank you so much!Have a wonderful day!
All for Him,
Shari
Love your blog and how inspiring you are. Happy SITS day!
Thank you for your kind words. I pray you have a wonderful day!
All for Him,
Shari
Such good tips! Happy SITS day!
Thank you!
All for Him,
Shari
We have 4 boys and I know how important it is to establish a firm foundation of manner as well as values. Thanks so much for sharing and Happy SITSDay!
Thank you for stopping by Tiffany!
All for Him,
Shari
There is nothing more that I want than for my sons to grow up, be good men, and have a happy, long life. Teaching manners has been a process. I hope it kicks in one day.
It is a process, but it’ll be worth it one day. Thank you for stopping by!
All for Him,
Shari
That quote from your son’s paper tells me you’ve done a very good job with him! I know you are proud of him.
WOW! You have an amazing young man- your baby boy- well done! My boy is 7 years old, and I too pray for Him to draw close to Christ and I pray for his character and raise him with God’s values and virtues. I can only hope he grows up with the heart and Christ-centered perspective for the rest of his years…