Scott Liddicoat

Celebrities, media talking heads, political elites, and social media regularly try to tell me what masculinity, or real manhood is.

I have some experience with this. Way up on my list of parenting two boys was to turn them into great men. As a young parent I couldn’t always articulate what that meant. But I tried to follow my instincts for what was required. Personally, I have failed many, many times to do what’s on the following list. Just the same, here is my retrospective on what I was doing–what we were doing– in trying to raise great men.

Be a man:

1. Take responsibility for your actions (which includes your reactions to events, people, and what people say).

2. Make no excuses.

3. Guard and protect your family at all times.

4. Care for the unprotected and innocent within your reach.

5. Reason your way through problems.

6. Blame no one else for your struggles or circumstances.

7. Work for what you need and want.

8. Grow from adversity. Turn hardship, misfortune, or failure into a decidedly better opportunity.

9. Share your life with like-minded people.

10. Forgive others.

I struggle to live up to this list. But if you knew our sons you’d know we succeeded there.