5 Things Every Son Should Hear From His Dad: 1. I love you. Don’t make him spend the next 40 years wondering if you ever felt it just because the words stuck in your throat. Say it. Mean it. Repeat it. 2. I am proud of you. Not only when he scores the touchdown or brings home the straight A’s. A boy shouldn’t have to earn the right to know his father actually sees him. 3. I believe in you. There will be days he doubts everything. Make damn sure your voice is the one that cuts through the noise when the world tells him he’s not enough. 4. You can always come to me. He’s going to screw up. He’s going to get into things he’s embarrassed to admit. Don’t let the fear of disappointing you become stronger than his willingness to call his dad. 5. I was wrong, I'm sorry. One of the greatest lessons you can ever teach him about being a man is taking responsibility. Because one day he won’t need you standing over his shoulder telling him what kind of man to become. Your voice will already be living rent-free in his head for the rest of his life. Be the father he actually needs.