Welcome to ResilientSons – where you will get the guidance you want to raise a kid who learns to become reflexive in good conduct and character. Yeah, it’s a bold claim and so hold me to it.

I’m a Dad with three sons – a parent for more than two decades. During that time, I have seen it all – every situation involving a kid and failure, wins, tight spots, emergencies, routines, tears, and exultation. You know it, I know it: There’s nothing new about kids under the sun. 

My sons were raised according to the methods outlined in my book, upon which this blog will amplify. Buy the book if you want – it’s cheap, short and has more than a few yuks. It’s an outline on how you can get your kid moving forward. Yeah, in the words of our favorite greenskeeper, you might say I’ve out-finessed myself.

In addition to being good guys, my kids are graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy and Williams and the third is at West Point.  They didn’t get to these stations in life because I was a hand’s-off Dad or politically correct or full of sentimental jargon or because I gave them their “space.” That’s the kind of jive you’ll find in most parenting books that are 300-pages long and talk about "Connor's adolescent synergies."

My boys matriculated to those institutions – and beyond – with consistent effort, hard-won confidence, grinding power through adversity, and realistic ambition. Over time, this site will tell you how it happened and give you ideas on how you can use that kind of guidance with your son. Oh yeah, and you won’t hear much more about my sons at all – this is a site about raising boys, not about being some nutty over-the-top Dad bragging about that victory in the 8th grade dodgeball tournament and the B+ grade in college English.

Here’s a question: Why did I write the book and then begin this website?  Because I am flabbergasted at the underwhelming performance of the Millennial and Generation Z / IGen cohort.  I see too many of them in my daily life and I am appalled  at their behavior, their lagging effort, and their addiction to the glowing rectangle in all its forms.  Hey, how’s that for candor!

During the next six months, this blawg and this site will tackle the situations involving Dads and sons. I have learned – painfully at times – what are the toughest and most gratifying elements of fatherhood.  Below are some of the matters we will examine:

1.    The phone, the video games, and the swamp of social media – do you think any of it makes your kid better?! Prove it to me.

2.    The trials and triumphs of athletics – my kids were average, average, average – and all three played college sports. How about yours?

3.    The rigors and joy of school – test, grades, measurements, activities – yes, there’s joy in all this.  Is your kid finding it?

4.    Your kid’s peers – the good ones, and the jerks – how to find the former and avoid the latter.  I know how to do it.  If you don’t believe me, please see bios of boys above.

All of this will be examined through my eyes and how I encouraged, disciplined, and sometimes browbeat my three sons through it all.

If you want sons with consistency in conduct and character, who rally through tough times, learn how to lead and bring you joy and satisfaction, always remember: Success follows the resilient kid.

Next up: How you deal with back to school and make this year better than all the others...