All posts by Janet

Parenting Teenage Boys w Joshua Wayne



Parenting teenage boys is HARD.  Their brains aren’t yet fully mature yet they’re bigger and stronger than most parents. They have more energy than their parents — and when they are bound and determined to do what they want to do (regardless of what you or anyone else says), the energy can seem more like … Continue reading Parenting Teenage Boys w Joshua Wayne


Boys and Body Image



Almost 1/3 of boys are trying to gain weight or bulk up.  For years, body image concerns were thought to be a female issue. But superhero costumes for toddler boys  now come equipped with built-in muscles, and popular teen shows such as Outer Banks cast 20-something actors with chiseled faces and abs as 16-year-olds, creating … Continue reading Boys and Body Image


Supporting Boys’ Interests



Supporting boys’ interests is essential, especially in a world that so often tells them their interests are unwelcome. Wanna wrestle? Don’t; you might hurt someone. Wanna dance? Don’t; that’s for girls. Restrained by stereotypes, gender expectations and parents and teachers who prefer boys who sit down and take direction without comment or complaint, too may … Continue reading Supporting Boys’ Interests


Wilderness Therapy w Paul Cumbo



He couldn’t sleep. Mike’s face stung from the gash and the stitches and a pulsing ache radiated from the back of his skull. His knuckles were shredded, and his arm throbbed under the thick bandages. Whether he closed or opened his eyes — even his EYES hurt — the images were there. Like grainy documentary … Continue reading Wilderness Therapy w Paul Cumbo


The Summer Slide



Summer slide (noun): The loss of academic skills and knowledge over the course of summer vacation Parents (& educators) have long worried about the things kids “forget” over the summer. This year, on the tail of a pandemic-interrupted school year that launched valiant attempts at unplanned remote learning, parents (& educators) are more concerned than … Continue reading The Summer Slide


The Art of Roughhousing (w Dr. Lawrence Cohen)



Roughhousing can teach boys about healthy touch. Society teaches boys that there are two kinds of “acceptable” touch for males: sex, and aggression. No wonder so many boys and men turn to sex and aggression to meet their very human need for touch! Physical play — including play wrestling, “chase” games and roughhousing — give … Continue reading The Art of Roughhousing (w Dr. Lawrence Cohen)


Dads Speak on Father’s Day



Dads are so important! We can’t talk about raising boys without also talking about the men who help create and parent them. Dad were boys long before they were fathers, and they understand boyhood and the path to manhood in a way we never will. So, this Father’s Day, we turned the mic over to … Continue reading Dads Speak on Father’s Day


Differently Wired Boys & TiLT Parenting (w Debbie Reber)



At least 1 in 5 people are differently wired, says Debbie Reber, founder of TiLT Parenting. Differently wired kids are neurologically atypical. They perceive the world differently than their peers and express themselves differently as well. These differences can be subtle or glaring, and as a parent or teacher, it can be hard to know … Continue reading Differently Wired Boys & TiLT Parenting (w Debbie Reber)


Sexual Abuse Affects Boys Too (w Lawrence Cohen)



 1 in 5 boys experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday.  More than one-quarter of male victims of a completed rape (27.8%) experienced their first rape when they were 10 years of age or younger. And 43% of men report experiencing some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime.   Today’s guest, psychologist Lawrence … Continue reading Sexual Abuse Affects Boys Too (w Lawrence Cohen)


Why Boys Need Chores – with Victoria Prooday



Chores, Victoria Prooday says, are the most efficient way to build our boys’ emotional muscle. Prooday, a psychotherapist, occupational therapist and speaker, is convinced that self-regulation is the key to success — and science backs up her assertion. As early as 1998, psychologists were publishing papers and chapters stating that, “Self-regulation has major, important implications … Continue reading Why Boys Need Chores – with Victoria Prooday