5 Habits For A Stronger, More Trusting Father And Son Relationship

Is there a disconnect between you and your son? Are you ready to change your relationship into something stronger?

Building a bond with your son takes time and effort, but the rewards of a strong father and son relationship last forever. And the sooner you get started, the better.

If you're unsure where to start, keep reading. Listed below are key ways to tighten that important bond between father and son.

1. Find a Shared Interest

Think about the friends you've made throughout your life. As you do, think about the things you have in common. Chances are good that there's always something you all share with one another, no matter if it's something big or small.

It could be anything from a love of grilled meats, favorite sports teams, or even sci-fi movies. Whatever it is, shared interests are important foundations to all relationships.

The same goes for father-son bonding, too. If you're struggling to find a way to connect with your son, find something you have in common and go from there.

Even polar opposites can find something that they both like after a bit of effort. Go through a whole list of activities to find common ground.

If you still are unable to find something after that, then choose one together. Something that neither of you has done before but will now try together.

Sharing an interest gives you something to talk about together. It gives an easy topic to start a conversation which leads to other conversations about different topics. All it takes is a little spark to get the ball rolling.

2. Set Aside Regular Father and Son Time

It's no question that life is a busy ordeal most of the time. Work, school, events, obligations. All these things try to pull you away from time with family.

But in order to build up a meaningful relationship, time spent together is more important than anything else.

Always make time for your son. Even if it's one activity scheduled once a month, something is better than nothing.

Sometimes you'll have to say no to other things that pop up to get it to work. Sometimes a drink out with your friends takes a backseat in order to spend time with your son.

But it's a necessary sacrifice. Without a dedicated bonding time, relationships begin to diminish.

3. Follow Through

Never break a promise. Don't forget about plans or events.

Kids continue to remember these things for years to come. What's worse is that their view of you changes every time you don't follow through with your promises.

In order to build up a good relationship between father and son, you need to follow through no matter what.

We know life is difficult and things get in the way. It's possible that sometimes a plan breaks down no matter how hard you try to prevent it from happening.

In that case, reschedule as soon as possible and make sure to give a proper apology. Kids are understanding and as long as you're honest with them, they'll accept the situation and move on.

But making such things a habit sends all the wrong messages. After several letdowns, they'll start expecting excuses. They'll begin thinking that you don't want to spend time with them after all.

4. Treat Every Moment as a Lesson

As a father, your son looks up to you in a whole lot of ways. From the way you conduct yourself with other people, to the way you react in times of stress or frustration.

They'll continue to learn from you no matter their age.

Remember that your son is there, watching you and learning from you. Every interaction is a chance to teach him something new. A lot of those lessons are small and subconscious so you'll need to keep this in mind.

In addition to this, take extra time to sit your son down and teach him intentional lessons. Teach him how to throw a ball or fix a leaky pipe. Read through this article with him so he knows how to find a style that works for him.

After enough practice, this mentality becomes second nature. And by putting this at the forefront of your mind, it ensures that your son learns all the right things from you as he gets older.

5. Be Positive and Supportive

Kids are difficult, argumentative, and stubborn. They're going to make hundreds of mistakes throughout their lives. They'll pick up hobbies and drop them for something new in a couple of weeks.

Sometimes it's frustrating to be a parent. Sometimes you want to yell at them for not listening, or for throwing away an opportunity.

While disciplining your son is an important part of his development, patience and support play a vital role as well. Even while disciplining him, never take away your love as part of that punishment.

It's easy to put our own wishes for our children ahead of their own desires. We want them to succeed, we want them to do well. But even if they choose the opposite, it's important to let them live their lives.

For example, let's say your son is great at throwing baseballs. He's got an arm all coaches would love to have on their team. But your son doesn't like baseball and would rather join the track team.

Let him choose what he wants and support him every step of the way. If he makes a mistake, be there to help. It's one of the key ways to strengthen father-son bonding.

Developing a Strong Father and Son Relationship Takes Effort from Both Sides

Reading this article alone shows how much effort you're willing to put in. Sometimes it takes time for your son to reciprocate that effort.

Keep at it and stay patient. Even if things don't work out the first attempt, don't let it discourage you.

A steadfast father and son relationship is all about finding the right balance that works for you both. After some trial and error, you'll find that perfect balance that makes your bond stronger forever.

Don't forget that we all need a small break from time to time. Make sure to look after your own wellbeing as well.