By Felina Silver Robinson

It is sad what our society has done to men. That fathers have left their sons with an inability to show emotion for fear that they may not appear to be strong. Let me be fair to state that this is not necessarily today’s men, but definitely men of the late 50s and those before them. In today’s age we have to live life with feeling and compassion. There is so much going on where we must have the verbal ability to comfort those in need when the time warrants it. Unfortunately, not all people seem to be equipped with that ability. Let me be clear in that there is a difference in a person that is just angry at the world or that just doesn’t want or like being around others and the difference between a person who just has a severe lack of communication skills because they never learned them as a child. It is clearly the parents responsibility to start the communication piece in their children, and the sooner they start the process, the better off everyone will be. Parents can’t assume that a child will be able to learn such skills on their own. Leaving them without them can be harmful to their adult relationships, especially their marriages.I have hope for all of us men, women and children. It’s ok to feel and it’s more than ok to talk about what your feeling. Together, we can all be strong communicators.

Please consider the following resources:

Helping your children communicate

Social Skills: Promoting Positive Behavior, Academic Success, and School Safety

Helping Teens Develop Healthy Social Skills and Relationships: What the Research Shows about Navigating Adolescence

Ten Ways to Improve Your Interpersonal Skills