Boys need their mom and their dad.

As a mom and dad play with their young son, the mom will remind him to “be careful.” The dad will toss the son into the air and encourage him to run as fast as he can. The boy will ignore his mom and hang onto his dad’s every word.

But when that little boy falls and scrapes his knee, he’ll suddenly stop ignoring his mom. He’ll run to her, seeking comfort.

As they grow up, boys continue to need both the rough, masculine influence of their dad and the comfort of their mom. If either is missing in your son’s life, pray that God will fill in the gaps with a positive mother or father figure.

To learn about the five critical needs of boys, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.