Tag Archives: emotional development

Modern Male Puberty is Awkward



Powered by RedCircle Modern male puberty starts earlier than you think. It may start as early as age 9 in boys – which means that the mood swings you’re seeing in your 10-year-old son could well be puberty-related. After all, as Cara Natterson & Vanessa Kroll Bennett write in their book This is So Awkward: … Continue reading Modern Male Puberty is Awkward


Lisa Damour on The Emotional Lives of Teens



Powered by RedCircle Dr. Lisa Damour is our go-to expert regarding the emotional lives of teens.  She is a psychologist & author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents, and although her previous two books were a deep dive into the world of girls, she gets boys. Consider this sentence: … Continue reading Lisa Damour on The Emotional Lives of Teens


Phyllis Fagell Discusses Middle School Superpowers



Powered by RedCircle Middle school students are “superheroes in the making,” says Phyllis Fagell, a school counselor, mom, and author of Middle School Superpowers: Raising Resilient Tweens in Turbulent Times. If that sounds crazy to you, consider this: middle schoolers and superheroes “both get catapulted out of a world they know and sent on a … Continue reading Phyllis Fagell Discusses Middle School Superpowers


Why Now is the Best Time to Raise Boys (w Michael Reichert)



Powered by RedCircle Now is the best time to raise boys, says psychologist Michael Reichert, founding director of the Center for the Study of Boys’ & Girls’ Lives, author of How to Raise a Boy, and co-author of Equimundo’s recent State of American Men report.  It doesn’t feel that way to many parents (or boys), … Continue reading Why Now is the Best Time to Raise Boys (w Michael Reichert)


Fostering Connection to Build Social & Emotional Health



Powered by RedCircle Fostering Connection: Building Social and Emotional Health in Children and Teens is the latest book by Dr. Tish Taylor, a child psychologist with more than 25 years of experience. Fostering connection is also key to boys’ social, emotional, and overall well-being. But how do we teach our boys to connect? How can … Continue reading Fostering Connection to Build Social & Emotional Health


More Wisdom from Teacher Tom



Powered by RedCircle Kids “haven’t changed at all” during the 20+ years Teacher Tom has been working with young children, he says. Parents have, though. And so has society. There’s an increased concern for safety and academic performance, and a lot of anxiety about kids’ futures. “I think there’s more fear, and more fear of … Continue reading More Wisdom from Teacher Tom


Teen Boys’ Emotional Lives



Powered by RedCircle Teen boys mystify (and frustrate) their parents. Especially their moms. But there’s a lot going on behind and beneath that sometimes stony exterior. Teen boys are not devoid of emotions; in fact, they devote a lot of time and attention to managing and controlling their emotions. They may not show their emotions … Continue reading Teen Boys’ Emotional Lives


Listener Q & A: Supporting Sibling Relationships, Finding Common Ground & More



Powered by RedCircle How do you support sibling relationships and build brother-sister bonds? Or connect with a tween son? Those are just a few of the questions Jen & Janet tackle in 2023’s first listener Q & A. Matthew says: We have 3 boys (15, 17, & 19) and 3 girls (2, 9, & 13)…our … Continue reading Listener Q & A: Supporting Sibling Relationships, Finding Common Ground & More


Holding the Calm with Hesha Abrams



Holding the calm, says Hesha Abrams, is an essential skill for resolving conflict and diffusing tension. Conflict and tension trigger an individual’s amygdala, the “reptilian” part of the brain that initiates the flight-flight-or-freeze response. And when the amygdala is activated, the human body goes into a refractory state for about 20 minutes. Our eyes and … Continue reading Holding the Calm with Hesha Abrams


Mathew Blades on Healing Generational Trauma



Mathew Blades was a father and successful radio DJ before he recognized the impact of generational trauma on his life. On his boys’ lives. Sure, his childhood included a lot of screaming and some spanking. And sure, his father died abruptly when Mathew was just 23 years old. Stuff happens. Mathew did what most people … Continue reading Mathew Blades on Healing Generational Trauma