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You are here: Home / Dad / Is it actually possible to bond with your adolescent son?

Is it actually possible to bond with your adolescent son?

January 30, 2012 by GreatDad Writers Leave a Comment

As a father, watching your son grow from a tiny baby into an adolescent will likely be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. You were there for his first steps, his first words and his first day of school. Now those early moments in fatherhood have led your teen to develop a personality and intellect all his own.

While the joys of seeing a child mature into a teenager are plentiful, this can also be a trying time. In establishing their own sense of identity, many adolescents pull away from their parents – weakening the bond that had always been so strong during earlier childhood days. As a result, you may have to make the extra effort to connect to your boy on a whole new level.

So how does a dad go about this? Well, for starters, if your son is developing an interest in a particular sport, make it your interest as well. Watching football together or scoring tickets to an upcoming baseball game is a great way to spend quality time together. Heck, you may even want to take up an assistant coaching position if your kid is looking to join a local or school athletics program. Even if you've never played the sport before, you can help him warm up and practice fundamentals before a big game.

Men love red meat, there's no getting around it. While many women often say that a man's stomach is the way to his heart, dad's can take advantage of this mantra to help bond with their sons as well. Consider taking your son out to one of your favorite restaurants or local watering holes to bond over burgers, steaks, hot wings, hot dogs, seafood or whatever other manly culinary creations strike your fancy. While you're chowing down, you can swap stories about your own childhood and get to know what's really going on in your son's life.

How you connect to your teenage son depends largely on his own personality. The important part is that you're there for him and make an effort to share his interests.

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Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

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In this episode of Great Dad Talks, guest Zach Watson dives deep into the often-misunderstood topic of “mental load” in modern partnerships and parenting. Zach, known for his educational and relatable takes on invisible labor in relationships, shares how the mental and emotional workload disproportionately impacts women—often in ways that go unrecognized by men.

Whether you’re struggling with household challenges, feeling disconnected from your partner, or just want to strengthen your role as a dad and partner, this episode is for you. 

Check out Jim’s website at zachthinkshare.com

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