Today my wife is making lunch for us and the kids, then heading out to meet a...

Today my wife is making lunch for us and the kids, then heading out to meet a girlfriend of hers for lunch. My oldest son is going with her because my wifes friend has a daughter about his age, and it gives the two of them a chance to talk and hang out.

They’re a good family, and it is a great opportunity for my son to practice his social skills, especially with girls. It is very hard to suddenly try to learn how to talk to the opposite sex in your twenties. It can be done, but it puts you at a major disadvantage.

Young people who grow up surrounded by family, friends, and good community, who talk with adults, with younger kids, with peers, with boys and girls, with people smarter and less sharp than themselves, they develop a massive advantage.

The ones who spend their time alone in the basement, online, or glued to video games are starting life with a serious handicap.

And this is not just a male problem. I see many under-socialized women too. It is a legitimate handicap. Like trying to run a race without ever learning to walk.

If you know that you struggle with this, if making friends, meeting people, or talking to the opposite sex feels foreign to you, reach out. I would be glad to help you get better at it. I was helped in my life, I have helped hundreds of others, and now I am teaching my children those same skills.