When my oldest was 3 years old, we were at a park, and he was learning to jump...

When my oldest was 3 years old, we were at a park, and he was learning to jump from higher and higher stone walls down to the grass.

An old lady came along and said, “Don’t let him do that; he could get hurt.”

She had good intentions, as all women do when they safely nag. But I wasn’t having any of it and let him continue.

“Are you afraid he will break a leg?” she asked.

“No, I’m not afraid. A broken leg will heal quickly, but learning to face his fears with courage will last a lifetime. I’m raising a man, not a coward.”

Fathers, let your sons take risks; encourage them if necessary. Pain is temporary. It may last for a minute, an hour, a day, or even a year. But eventually, it will subside. And something else will take its place. If he quits, however, it will last forever.