As a parent of a young and carefree boy, you are responsible to guide your son on the path of gentlemanship as he grows older and his personality evolves.
Your contribution as a role model is crucial for the evolution of a true gentleman. Not only you lead by example, but you provide an environment and time that your son needs to learn about true values and integrity.
Truth is, it takes hard work, efforts, and patience to help your son become a proper gent. That’s because to be a gentleman means to have a wild set of positive qualities. It’s more than just good looks and manners. Gentlemanliness about the attitude a man has towards both other people and himself.
It’s up to you to prepare your son to be a gentleman. It’s most efficient if you start during early childhood to determine his moral as a grown-up. Remember to educate and lead, but be tolerant and understanding, too.
We, at Gentleman Zone, are aware of how important, responsible, and challenging this task is. That’s why we want to share some useful techniques to help you raise a young honorable man.
What It Means to Be a Gentleman in Today’s World
To be a modern-day gentleman is beyond having money, nice suits, or a fit body. What defines a gentleman nowadays is his frame of mind.
A proper gentleman has a desire to get to know and interact with the world around him. He wants to have a positive impact on it. He aspires to gain intellectual and cultural experience and to carry a conversation.
A true gent treats people with courtesy and is capable of empathy. He is a self-conscious man who stands for his principles and beliefs, while still accepts and respects different opinions.
Young boys develop these positive traits and develop gentleman behavior thanks to natural learning. Essential to natural learning are effective parenting and influence.
Ways to Help Your Son to Become a Gentleman
- Nourish attitude towards women;
- Build respect & politeness;
- Differentiate between arrogance & confidence;
- Help to others;
- Strengthen honesty;
- Encourage empathy;
- Expand acceptance/open mindedness;
- Develop loyalty so actions match words;
- Have good work ethics/ be a sportsman;
- Do housework;
- Make eye contact, shake hands;
- Teach to listen;
- Motivate risky play;
- Lead by example.
Learn How to Treat Women Properly
A defining feature of a gentleman is his attitude towards a lady.
According to Mombible.com, it’s kind and thoughtful to bring her flowers, open the door, and pull the chair for her, but there’s more.
Make sure to guide your son on how to communicate with a female. A true gent talks to and listens to a woman. He shows understanding and support.
Gentlemen are considerate to what a woman feels and needs. It’s important that a man provides her with confidence and protects her, but doesn’t underestimate or judge.
Also, teach your young boy to never put hands on a girl or call her bad words.Remember that all this instills best in your child’s mind if you treat women the right way, too, one leading to being an outstanding intimate partner & gentleman in bed.
Teach Your Son Respect
A real gentleman is courteous not only to women but to all people.
- Tell your kid to be kind to everyone, especially elderly people, teachers, etc. no matter the circumstances.
- Let him know that he is free to disagree with others but still be respectful.
- Explain that offensive words and rude attitude are the wrong way to treat others.
- Don’t tolerate it if your boy misbehaves towards someone and scold him, so he learns.
Teach Your Boy Politeness and Manners
Every gentleman uses greetings and polite phrases like “please”, “excuse me”, “thank you”, and speaks with the right tone.
- Use such words regularly when you speak with your youngster, so they become a habit.
- Practice at home is essential. It helps to establish other polite manners, too.
- Show your son the proper way to sit at the table.
- Remind him to use his spoon or fork, not hands, and to chew with his mouth closed.
- Teach him other simple stuff like to wait his turn in the line, to be nice when he talks to strangers, etc.
A man with good table manners always makes a pleasant impression.
Advise Your Boy to Help Others
To teach your little one the basic courtesy of a gentleman, make sure that he learns to help others.
Encourage the young one on simple acts like to gentlemanly offer his seat to a pregnant woman, carry groceries for an old lady, shoveling snow for an elderly neighbor, etc.
Tell him that even such small acts of kindness make a positive difference in someone’s long day. Your son should also know that even if someone seems like they don’t need help, it’s right to at least offer your assistance.
Stimulate Honesty
To turn your mini-man into an honorable grown-up, teach him to tell the truth.
Honesty is a quality that speaks for courage and confidence. A gentleman doesn’t keep secrets. He knows that it’s not honorable to cover something with a lie. A true gent is not afraid to be honest and admits his faults. He doesn’t hide mistakes or problems. Instead, he tries to come up with a rational solution to cope with it.
Help your boy find these solutions and convince him to trust you and be open towards you to instill integrity in him.
Foster Empathy
Empathy is a valuable trait, essential to every real gentleman. Teach your boy to consider and understand how others feel. Teach him compassion, so he becomes a good friend, husband, and dad one day. Keep your son away from hurtful things, so he doesn’t cause such himself.
When able to relate with people well, your youngster grows as a conscious and reflective young man with a strong sense of moral and identity.
Instill Acceptance and Open-mindedness
It’s fundamental to explain to your young boy that different isn’t always bad to establish acceptance as one of his values.
Teach him that there is nothing wrong if someone has different preferences, is a different race, has a medical condition, etc. Explain that all people are equal and it’s not okay to judge or disrespect someone for their specific features.
Some helpful tricks to promote acceptance and open-mindedness are:
- Encourage your mini-man to try new foods.
- Encourage him to attempt new sports and activities.
- Advise him to volunteer.
- Start a new tradition together.
Convince your little one that there’s no need to be perfect to be a good and worthy person.
Teach Your Boy to Become a Man of His Word
It’s crucial to have your kid stay true to his word, to grow into a genuine gentleman.
Explain to him how important it is to stay behind an agreement and thus create trustworthiness in others. When your youngster knows that, he becomes a boy to count on.
It’s essential to make it a priority to support your boy’s commitments, so he carries them on. This helps him build reliability and loyalty. These qualities are a guarantee he keeps his word and matches his actions to it.
Guide Him on Sportsmanship
Tell your boy that sometimes it’s okay to lose as long as you do it with dignity and grace. Teach him to look at these moments as opportunities to learn and develop. And when he wins, say that it’s important to cherish the triumph but not brag about it in a mean and rude way.
A good tip is to remind your boy of simple acts like to shake the hand of an opponent, especially in gentleman sports.
These lessons are important for how your son handles future situations of success or defeat.
Promote a Good Work Ethic
- Provide your little one with opportunities to take part in meaningful tasks and praise him afterwards to instill a work ethic.
- Talk to your boy about how important it is to stick to an assignment and complete it.
- Make him take responsibility if he skips it or doesn’t manage it in the right way.
- Discuss the importance of work and how it’s a chance to contribute to your and someone else’s well-being.
- Develop and stimulate your son’s desires to acquire new skills and improves himself.
When he feels capable, he’ll take up any tasks and won’t procrastinate.
Talk about How to Communicate in a Proper Way
Teach your kid to listen carefully and not interrupt while in a conversation. It’s a sign of good manners and respect if he waits for his turn to express himself.
Emphasize the importance of eye contact when you speak to someone. A simple gesture like this shows regard for the other person.
It’s essential to a gentleman to appear friendly and kind. So, tell your son that a smile or two when you talk to someone is always a good idea.
All this helps establish a connection with the other person, thus carry a meaningful conversation. And this is vital to a gentleman’s personality.
Let Your Son Have a Risky Play
Risky play is a crucial part of a boy’s growing-up process.
When your little one tests his limits during playtime, he encounters various challenges. The kid sometimes fails the obstacles or achieves them. And this way he learns how to make the right decisions and react in a proper way in different situations. This affects in an impressive the progress of his personality.
Your little one grows into an adult with self-awareness and confidence, which are key features of a gentleman’s character.
Encourage Him to Be a Leader
Teach your son it’s important to lead and do what you think is right and stand up, rather than wrong, and blend with others. This is key to protect him from vices, too.
Here’s how to encourage your young one to take leadership:
- Let him make a decision that affects your entire family.
- Let him choose the meal for the family dinner.
- Leave the movie choice to him.
- Suggest that he comes up with a plan for a family weekend.
Remember to advise mini-gentleman to consider everyone involved when he makes his choices and decisions.
Fundamental Advice for You as the Parent
The most important thing to do as a parent to teach your son all these traits and raise him as a gentleman is to be his example and role model.
Yes, it’s essential to talk about and discuss these features, but he learns truly when he observes how you behave in and out of your home. Always be an appropriate role model. Treat others and act the way you teach your child to do it. That’s the secret to raising an honorable adult.
Give also the behavior of other people as an example of how you should or not behave.
Remember to let your son know about the consequences you face when you neglect all these principals. Hold him accountable to discipline him.
Raising a Gentleman – Conclusion
To raise a good and worthy grown-up in such a dynamic and influential world is a parent’s most difficult and responsible job.
Follow our tips to make it a bit easier and raise a chivalrous and respectful young man. And he, as a real gentleman, will teach his children these valuable principals and morals.
