Summary: Ok. I won’t tell you how many minutes hours I scrolled through Facebook & Instagram yesterday reading about all the wonderful men in my friends’ lives.<br> But I came away from social media feeling all warm & cozy. Because I’m raising future fathers (hopefully a role for all four boys).<br> When I see the difference an honorable man makes in a family, I pay extra close attention. Noticing all the adjectives that mattered: encouraging, strong, caring, protective, loving, joyful, and amazing.<br> One <a title="brooke mcglothlin" href="http://www.brookemcglothlin.com/" target="_blank">friend</a> posted that her dad had “grit”. This stood out from among the rest because it’s a word you don’t hear often enough. And because it was a topic fresh on my mind…<br> Today’s podcast guest, Laura Hale, defines “grit” as:<br> The courage to show up and do something that matters in your own way. To be OK with failing and trying again. Learning and growing.<br> <a href="http://godcenteredmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/laurahaleheadshot.jpg"></a><br> Of course, I want this for my boys.<br> But I think moms show grit. We courageously keep showing up. Even when we feel like we failed, we jump back in and try again.<br> Laura has grit. She is launching a new line of toys for young boys, Generation Grit. Her desire is to offer an option for boys which allows for hours of reading and imaginative play.<br> <a href="http://godcenteredmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/GG-black-logotype-stacked.jpg"></a><br> <br> Her solution is to create a line of boys’ action figures and accompanying story books based on fictitious characters from different historical eras (picture a boy’s version of “American Girl”). The first of these characters is Mac Mason, a 14-year-old boy living in California in 1943.<br> <a href="http://godcenteredmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/20131213-hale-product-1127.jpg"></a><br> <br> At Generation Grit, we model characters who struggle. People are wired to struggle. It’s how a baby learns to walk, and it’s how a child learns to read. As a mom, one of the most heartbreaking things I see is when a child chooses to stay on the sidelines because they are afraid to risk failure. In our stories, Generation Grit is committed to celebrating the willingness to face hard things, to fail sometimes, and to get back up. -Laura Hale<br> <br> <a href="http://godcenteredmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/macmasongg.jpg"></a><br> During the podcast we chatted about:<br> <br> * How we went to the same church at the same time and didn’t know it<br> * What motivated her to create a new toy product for boys<br> * How Laura demonstrated grit in pursuing toy maker connections<br> * How boys in the 8-12 age range don’t have a lot of “non-screen” toy options<br> * How quickly children grow from 8 years to mid-teens.<br> * How we can support Laura to accomplishing her dream, through <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1882390019/generation-grit" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a><br> <br> Side notes:<br> *My boys watched the Kickstarter video and asked if we could get a Mac action figure. Seemed like a no-brainer to me and a perfect Christmas present option. <br> **AND <a href="http://www.circeinstitute.org/2011/02/childrens-books-to-feed-the-moral-imagination" target="_blank">saw this article</a> yesterday with fabulous book options for helping shape our kids “moral imagination”, not to be confused with “moralism”. Must read.<br> ***Speaking of boy toys. . . don’t forget to <a title="My Anniversary Gift to You :: Pley Giveaway" href="http://godcenteredmom.com/2014/06/13/my-anniversary-gift-to-you-pley-giveaway/" target="_blank">enter to win </a>subscriptions to Pley or a Lego set! I added a new way to enter,
