National Sons Day

Sometimes when I need a miracle, I look into my son’s eyes, and realize I’ve already created one.

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Having a son can certainly be an amazing gift in life! To experience holding a baby boy, raising him up, or teaching him how to become a man is an honor and a privilege that parents have. And even people who may not have a son in a genetic manner can certainly still celebrate this day, because this day celebrates the little boys of the world who are growing up, or have grown up, to become amazing men.

Now it’s time for National Sons Day!

How to Celebrate National Sons Day

National Sons Day is a great time to be reminded exactly how great it is to have a son. And that means it’s a great time to celebrate sons all over the world. Try enjoying the day with some of these ideas:

Give Your Son a Call

One of the best ways to celebrate National Sons Day is to let your son, or sons, know how much they are loved. For those with adult sons, this might mean reaching out on the day through a call or text, just to remind them how great they are and how much they are cared for. Even better, make plans in advance to take your son out to lunch, dinner, or for a cup of coffee and dessert.

Spend Quality Time with Your Son

For those who have sons who still live at home, don’t forget to tell them in person how amazing they are! Perhaps arrange for a special date or celebration with them, or simply remember to toss the football around, or choose another of their favorite activities to engage in.

Do a science experiment, pot some plants, or learn to change the tires on the car. Shoot some hoops, read a favorite book together, watch a favorite cartoon or practice drawing their favorite characters. Whatever it is that your son just loves to do, do it with him in celebration of National Sons Day. Or teach him a new skill that he can take further into life!

Watch a Movie About Sons

Enjoy some entertainment featuring sons in celebration of National Sons Day. Whether it’s a movie that shows how great a son can be, or one that makes everyone thankful the characters in the movies aren’t their sons, this is a great time to have a chuckle or a heartfelt sigh.

Get started with some of these ideas for movies to watch on National Sons Day:

• Beautiful Boy (2018). Featuring an all-star cast with Steve Carrell, Timothée Chalamet, Amy Ryan and Maura Tierney, this movie tells the story of a father’s relationship with his son who becomes addicted to meth.
• Fences (2016). This movie starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis is set in the 1950s in Pittsburgh, based on a Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name, written by August Wilson.
• The Pursuit of Happyness (2006). This heartfelt drama starring Will Smith and his son, Jaden Smith, is based on the true story of a father/son duo who went from homelessness to success.
• That’s My Boy (2012). An irreverent dark comedy starring Andy Samberg and Adam Sandler, this film tells the story about a broken dad who tries to rekindle a relationship with his illegitimate son.

Invest in a Grandson or Friend’s Son

Even those who don’t have a son can still celebrate National Sons Day. In fact, it has been said that it takes a village to raise a child! So those who never had a son, or have already raised one, might want to consider investing time in developing a relationship with someone else’s son, like a nephew, a grandson or the son of a friend.

Studies have shown that boys who have healthy and stable relationships with adult role models are more likely to grow into healthy and stable adults themselves. Those who don’t have friends with sons might want to consider volunteering for an organization such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America or the Boy Scouts of America. Or perhaps volunteer to become a coach for a local little league team or school sports team.

Read or Gift a Parenting Book

Perhaps National Sons Day would be a great time to start reading a new parenting book, or to give a parenting book to someone who is a new parent of a son. Head over to the public library or a local book store to see what kinds of parenting books are on offer there. Or get started by shopping online and trying out one of these titles of parenting books:

• How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Build Good Men by Michael C. Reichert (2019)
• Boy Mom: What your Son Needs Most from You by Monica Swanson (2019)
• Better Dads, Stronger Sons: How Fathers Can Guide Boys to Become Men of Character by Rick Johnson (2017)
• Decoding Boys: New Science Behind the Subtle Art of Raising Boys by Cara Natterson (2021)

History of National Sons Day

National Sons Day is a fairly recently established holiday that got its start in 2018 and the idea was that of the day’s founder, Jill Nico. After noticing that there was a holiday dedicated to daughters that took place in September, but not one for sons, Nico took it upon herself to change this.

The idea was to celebrate the importance of raising up young boys who are future fathers, role models and leaders in the world. The choosing of the month of March was to place it on the opposite side of the calendar as National Daughter Day, and it is also a month when many boys have sporting activities that they enjoy, such as basketball playoffs and other fun things. And the reason the 4th was chosen was simply because it is a significant number in the life of the founder!