My Latest:Most parents think they’re doing the right thing: They protect their sons, minimize risk, soften failure, and prioritize stability. And without realizing it, they train boys to avoid building anything that actually matters.

The research is clear. Risk tolerance, initiative, and the willingness to build are not personality traits. They are formed early. Especially between ages 7 and 10. If your son grows up wanting a safe, comfortable life instead of building something meaningful for others, that didn’t happen by accident. It was trained.

In this piece, I break down 10 practices from social science and Scripture that show exactly how this happens and what parents can do differently. This is about more than success. It’s about formation.