Let Boys Be Boys

There was a time when boyhood was an untamed, unhurried thing. When creek beds turned into racetracks for hand-carved boats, the tops of hay bales became mountain peaks to be conquered, and backyard disputes ended in a wrestling match and a handshake.

Boys spent whole afternoons building, testing, and sometimes spectacularly failing—their tree swings crashing down, their handmade bows snapping in half, their hastily dug tunnels caving in around them. It was a time to experiment, play, fail, and dust themselves off and try again.

Beneath the scraped elbows, scuffed shoes, and sunburned faces, something deeper was happening. Amidst the boyish thrill of adventure, manliness was taking root.

More than a hundred years ago, George Walter Fiske wrote:

“Let childhood and boyhood be prolonged,
Let manhood be postponed,
But let manliness be promptly developed.”

The Need for Boyhood

Modern life often denies boys both boyhood and manhood. Boys today aren’t being raised to be men, but something more like a defective female or a perpetual adolescent. They aren’t encouraged to embrace boyhood, where courage, strength, and responsibility take root through adventure and challenge. Instead, they are stifled, kept from the rough-and-tumble experiences that forge manliness. As a result, they never truly experience the adventure of boyhood, and without it, they never develop the resilience, confidence, and discipline that lead to manhood. They are left stranded in a hollow in-between—too docile to be boys and too untested to be men—missing out on the joys of both and the purpose of either. But Fiske’s wisdom reminds us that boyhood should be prolonged. 

Let them climb higher. Let them run faster. Let them swing their wooden swords a little longer. Let them test their strength, push their limits, and dream big.

Boyhood is meant to be a season of exploration. A time when a mud puddle can be an ocean, a fallen log can be a bridge to another world, and the backyard can be as vast as the frontier. Boys need this time—this season of boundless energy, imagination, and discovery.

Because in those moments of boyish play, something important is happening. They are stretching their courage, testing their limits, and learning what it means to be strong—not just in body, but in will and heart.

Postponing Manhood—But Not Manliness

“Let manhood be postponed”—isn’t an excuse for boys to avoid responsibility forever. It’s an acknowledgment that manhood isn’t just about age; it’s about readiness. A boy shouldn’t be thrust into the weight of manhood before he’s been prepared to carry it.

There is a vast difference between the kind of boyhood that naturally leads to manhood and the kind of aimless adolescence that extends indefinitely. Real boyhood is a season of adventure, testing, and growth—it is the proving ground for manliness. Prolonged adolescence, on the other hand, is marked by passivity, distraction, and avoidance of responsibility. 

But while manhood arrives in its time, manliness must come early.

“True manliness can hardly appear too early … manliness which consists in self-control, a trained and self-disciplined will; a right heart with Jesus Christ enthroned within, with the impulses and appetites in leash; a sound mind, ruled by level common sense, and an undercurrent of determined purpose to play the man in life, to put his life in for all it is worth—this sort of manliness rings true.”

And this kind of manliness? It must be forged long before a boy reaches manhood.

From Dirt Clod Battles to Disciplined Wills

The boy who battles dragons in his backyard today is learning the courage he’ll need to fight real battles tomorrow.

The one who wrestles his brothers in the living room is learning the strength that will help him stand firm when life tries to knock him down.

The one who spends hours lost in imaginary adventures is stretching the vision he’ll need to dream big, take risks, and lead well.

The boy who spends an hour perfecting his slingshot aim is learning the patience and focus he’ll need to master greater skills in life.

The one who insists on carrying all the firewood back to camp—even when his arms ache—is learning perseverance.

The boy who shakes hands after a hard-won backyard wrestling match is learning honor and respect.

And the one who is trained to control his temper, speak the truth, and take responsibility for his actions is already on the path to true manhood.

A Call to Let Boys Be Boys—And to Call Them to More

We live in a world where boyhood is often stifled and manliness is often delayed. Instead of raising men who are ready, we are producing boys who are restless—held back from adventure and untrained in responsibility.

Boys are often kept from responsibility too long, and yet at the same time, they are deprived of the mentorship that would teach them how to handle it. The result? Delayed manhood without developed manliness—and that is a dangerous combination.

But we can do better.

Let’s give boys back their boyhood. Let’s let them wrestle, explore, imagine, and conquer. 

Let’s let them be boys.

But let’s also call them to something greater. Let’s shape their character. Let’s train their will. Let’s challenge them to live with honor, to serve with courage, and to follow Christ with all their heart.

Because when the day comes for them to step into manhood, they shouldn’t just arrive–they should be ready.

At Trail Life USA, we believe in raising up generations of courageous young men—guiding them to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure. As a matter of fact, we have traced out a clear Trailmap to Manhood that boys follow and track their journey.

Join us as we grow men in a world where boyhood is celebrated and manliness is nurtured.

Find a Troop near you or Learn how to bring Trail Life to your community at TrailLifeUSA.com