Dear Dr. Meg,

I’m a single mom and all of my children are boys. I want to raise them well, but how can I do this when their father isn’t present?

Sincerely,
Single Mother of Boys

Dear Single Mother of Boys,

Single moms have a very hard row to hoe and my hat is off to you. There are a few things that you need to do with your son, particularly if Dad is not in the picture.

First, regardless of his age (particularly if he is a teen) do your best to find a good adult man to spend time with him. Do you have a father, brother, male friend, pastor, teacher or coach who you know will do things with him once or twice a month? Boys need face-to-face time with men because they need to see a good man to know how to become one. That is something that you simply can’t give.

Boys need face-to-face time with men because they need to see a good man to know how to become one.

Second, don’t slack off on your expectations of his behavior. If you believe that he should speak well, be courteous, help around the house, etc.,…