BEING the Father of a son is a significant role because boys need their Fathers’ for security and knowledge. There are three stages of boyhood and during the first stage baby boys can get by, even if they only have their mothers in their lives. During the second stage (6 – 14) however, boys tend to gravitate towards and rely upon their fathers (or male relatives) to teach them how to be men. They need to ‘download the software’ (preferably) from their fathers to complete their development. But fathers how reliable and responsible are you? And how much do you know about the developing boy? See how well you do in our quiz?

1) For fathers to assist in their son’s development they have to be aware of:
a) What their son needs and when it is needed
b) Which video games their sons’ like to play
c) How many friends their sons’ have at any given time

2) Boys see their mothers’ as their first example of:
a) Discipline, boundaries and strength
b) Love, intimacy and affection
c) Health, beauty and serenity

3) The best start for a boy child is for him to:
a) Live with his father from birth to adolescence
b) Be left with various family members during infancy
c) Have both parents involved in his upbringing from birth to adolescence

4) Around the age of 14 boy children tend to:
a) Cling closer to their fathers
b) Start growing away from their parents
c) Stop growing taller and put on weight

5) It’s a proven fact that parents:
a) Always treat boys better than girls
b) Treat boys more harshly than girls
c) Always treat boys and girls equally

6) Fathers can help develop their son’s speech, language and communication skills by:
a) Taking them to day care while they are at work
b) Talking loudly to their partners in front of them
c) Reading stories to them from very young

7) The reason girls sometimes seem way ahead of boys is because:
a) Girls’ brains are wired differently from boys
b) Girls are always better than boys
c) Girls eat more food than boys

8) Regardless of what stage boys are at, in comparison to girls, boy always
a) Surpass expectation without intervention
b) Lag behind because they need encouragement
c) Catch up eventually somewhere along the line

9) In matters of conflict Fathers should always be able to:
a) Teach their sons ways to solve disputes through reasoning
b) Teach their sons how to get the better of their opponent
c) Teach their sons the art of being ‘wrong and strong’

10) At the age of 14 a boy’s testosterone (male hormone) level increases by 800% this can make him
a) Tired and listless on occasions
b) More academically inclined and studious
c) Argumentative, moody and restless

11) Before boys enter adolescence, father’s need to:
a) Buy grown up clothes for them to look smart
b) Teach them the Highway Code so they can learn to drive
c) Channel their energy into something productive and meaningful

12) A father should nurture his son up until adolescence to produce:
a) A pal that he can turn to in his time of need
b) Good memories that will nourish their relationship for decades to come
c) A person who can help clean the yard

A father who recognises his role and nurtures his son accordingly, despite the odds, can rest assured that he has done his duty. A level-headed, rounded young man should emerge in the future.
Answers: 1) a 2) b 3) c 4) b 5) b 6) c 7) a 8) c 9) a 10) c 11) c 12) b

If you need advice on your fathering skills or would like to speak to a CPA officer call the Childcare and Protection Agency on 227 4082 or write to us at: childcaregy@gmail.com
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION