Collected ideas that you may find useful with your Sons
1. Have a memorable ceremony to mark the start of the journey to manhood.
a. “Page” ceremony centered around Medieval Times? Focus on the fact that they are outgrowing MT and how it is symbolic of starting to leave childish things behind (ref. Bible verse).
b. Present boys with a wooden toy sword, personalized by father, with some inspirational message written or carved in it. This will be followed with a more realistic wooden sword at the Squire ceremony, made by the boy with an emphasis on craftsmanship. Finally, a real sword will be presented at the Knighthood ceremony. This sword he will keep and take to his home, where he can use it to Knight his son in the future at the appropriate time.
c. Look at what is done / what happens for a Bar-Mitzvah; similar kind of intent
2. Start with a Bible study in the book of Proverbs (1 chapter per week, given school and other commitments). This will take 31 weeks.
3. Continue with a study of Pilgrim’s Progress, using AiG materials. TBD weeks
4. Continue with Answers Academy materials from AiG. TBD weeks.
5. Develop a study of specific things that God calls a man to do in scripture, and discuss them and how we can do these things today. A good thing for a father or fathers to research and prepare for the group to use.
6. In keeping with the Knight theme, study chivalry and how it is based in the Bible. Another good project for a father or fathers to prepare for the group. Each father and son wrote their own code of chivalry, in the boy’s own words that is relevant today. Link 5 & 6.
7. Research and create a family Coat of Arms based upon 2 through 6 above.
8. Visit the Creation Museum in 2007, ideally with the group.
9. Listen to a G. A. Henty audio book together during the course of the year.
10. Go on two (2) overnight events during the year, and use them for in-depth discussion and relationship building.
11. Have regular get-togethers with other group members. Some of these will be fathers and sons together, and some will be fathers together and sons together.
12. Have a year-end event to celebrate God’s blessings upon us, and to talk about how we are preparing to be useful servants in His kingdom (future aspirations).
13. Implement Stuart’s idea of a traveling journal, where on a regular basis the father will write a series of questions in the journal, and the son will have a period of time to write answers. The son then writes questions to the father, which he answers. This happens continually as the son grows up.
Notes: 3 and 4 above could be switched in order
2-6 and 8 can be done in a group setting with other participants
Recalling and capturing America’s Christian heritage should be a consistent theme
To this end, we might consider having get-togethers around important dates in our history (i.e., Thanksgiving) and focusing on what really happened instead of the dumbed-down secularized stuff that is taught today.
Plan and attend events that encourage friendship bonds between the boys.
Plan and attend events that provide opportunities for boys to show their accomplishments / developed expertise, and encourage other boys to strive for higher accomplishments. We need to encourage the development of a “band of brothers” that will encourage and support each other through the trials of this life.
Always stress the higher calling, that we strive to hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” when we are finally face-to-face with our Savior.
Give them tools and techniques to defend their faith and to “fight the good fight”. We know the temptations they will face, because we have faced them. We need to give them the benefit of our struggles and learning so they have advantages we perhaps didn’t have.