Ideas for “rights of passage” for my son & gift suggestions

[Playa]

I'm kind of confused. Are you wanting to have a "ceremony" or a "prove your a man test"? It sounds to me like you want to congratulate your son on what he's accomplished thus far in his life. Not give him a test to prove he isn't a man yet until he passes said test? I like the knife idea. That's something he can carry with him every day of his life. Have a constant reminder of who he is.. In a world where people are constantly telling our young men that men aren't important and manliness is bad. It's important to reinforce his identity! I think giving him something to carry every day would be the best way to remind him!

Maybe a bit of both, but predominantly to celebrate how far along the path to manhood he has already traveled, but a challenge he could do or lead he and his buddies to do would be fun and beneficial.

Our place is only a mile long by 1/2 mi wide and is actually fairly easy to navigate , basically find a road, and or fence and follow it. So not sure how hard that would actually be

[bulltx50]

Don't over think it. The time you spend with him will be what he remembers for the rest of his life. Before you know he's off to college, married etc.... A nice shotgun to enjoy some great bird hunts with his dad.

[AtTheWall]

Yeah a solid shotgun - over under with decent quality. You will get better - safer field use out of it than the pistol. Hunting skills - the basics with scatter gun - buy a target .22 you both can shoot in competition against each other.

That's the way I rolled - added the snappy little bolt guns with big scopes into that target father/son match stuff.

Friends come and go.........blaze y'alls new beginnings with some further goals that put y'all afield with a bit of match play mixed in too.

[WyoBull]

I guess we live in a different world today than when I grew up as I did not realize there was a formal right of passage into early adulthood.
I do know when I was about that age, maybe even a little younger, my dad gave me my first 22 rifle. It was a Winchester model 9422 and I still have and shoot it today. I distinctly remember him taking me out shooting, talking about gun safety and the responsibility that came along with owning it.
Back in those days I don't think dad's having heart to heart talks with their sons was as common as it is today but I remember just being with my dad in the field and emulating his leadership was enough.
Something to consider would be making this time a more private moment between you and your son as I would bet that would have a deeper and life lasting impact more so than the fanfare of a ritual.
Just my thoughts on what impacted me in my youth.
Congratulations to you on raising a fine young man!

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[Hogmauler]

Peyote, schrooms, and a bottle of Texas Crown! NOT!

[Dale Moser]

Good lord...some of yall could ruin a good party.


Just take'em to the ranch and do ranch stuff! A new knife, tool, or shootin iron would be cool. But I bet you've got plenty of .22s and stuff, get'em out and let the kids burn ammo and fish...that's what kids want to do. Buy a case of cheap sodas to shake up for targets. Stay up late, eat good, big fire, drink dr pepper....etc.

[Goldeneagle]

Good lord...some of yall could ruin a good party.


Just take'em to the ranch and do ranch stuff! A new knife, tool, or shootin iron would be cool. But I bet you've got plenty of .22s and stuff, get'em out and let the kids burn ammo and fish...that's what kids want to do. Buy a case of cheap sodas to shake up for targets. Stay up late, eat good, big fire, drink dr pepper....etc.

Don't forget the farting contest around the fire pit!

[glpoe1]

A bible with his name on it (mark Proverbs), a revolver .22 cal. single action and a great camp out.

[bobc]

Lots of good advice here for you to work up a cool weekend for your son and his buddies. Great idea to do this for your son’s 13th birthday.

After a good day of fishing and shooting, settle the boys down around the campfire, and tell them to really listen up for just a few minutes. Then you or one of the other dads read "If—" a poem by Rudyard Kipling. This was written in 1895, and it is still about the best advice going regarding becoming a man. I’m guessing some boys will always remember this, and later as grown up men will thank you.

My father gave me a copy of this poem years ago. To this day, I carry it in the visor of my pickup.


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[2B4Him]

I got my dad, brother, men's minister and youth pastor to each write a letter to my son about who they see him becoming and giving advice on becoming who he is destined to become.
Those that could be a part of his 'celebration', I asked them to take a short walk with him (we are on 15 acres) to verbalize what their letters said.

[E.TX.BOWHUNTER]

Sounds like he could probably use a good knife too. I still have the one my grandfather gave me almost 50 years ago. It is still my favorite and used on every animal I kill. Mine was not engraved but a little can go a long way.

[Nova]

Ruger single six and a case pocket knife

[Hoggslayer]

A good old fashion Snipe hunt is what comes to mind when I here the phrase "right of passage".

[ACbob]

Remind me to never go to one of your parties.....

Not gonna need to remind me.

[Blane]

Every young man, at least the majority of kids from this site enjoy tending to fires, especially with the Forged in Fire show. Bring a drilled antler and a piece of round stock. Let the boys tend to the fire, heating the steel up to full glow, and turn a 90 on the end. If you understand how to work metal, and have an anvil or piece of I beam to beat on, let them turn parts into square, and then put a twist in it. Once the metal working is done, bring out the antlers and epoxy them on. All the boys get to take home a fire tending stick that they built.