I'm 66 and my wife Donna said something last week that I haven't been able to stop thinking about. She said the reason our sons don't call more isn't because they don't love me. It's because I taught them that strong men don't need checking on, and they believed me. - Silicon Canals

"Most people believe that love and contact are directly proportional. That if your kids love you, they call. If they don't call, something is wrong between you."

"The uncomfortable version is that nothing broke at all. Everything worked exactly as designed. The silence isn't a malfunction. It's the product."

"What there was, every single day for their entire childhoods, was a man who came home from work, handled his problems quietly, and never once asked anyone for help with how he was feeling."

Silence between fathers and sons can indicate that emotional stoicism has been learned rather than a sign of a broken relationship. Strong men often do not express their feelings or seek help, leading to a lack of communication. This behavior is not explicitly taught but demonstrated consistently over time. Many believe that love correlates with contact, but silence can signify that lessons about emotional independence have been absorbed too well, resulting in infrequent communication despite underlying affection.

Read at Silicon Canals