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Baby Boomers. Gen X. Millennials. And now, iGen. According to psychology professor Jean Twenge, the members of iGen include the children and young adults born between 1995 and 2012. And what sets these kids apart from previous generations, she says, is their near-constant connection to the Internet. Theirs is a generation shaped by the … Continue reading 137: iGen
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Some call the tween years a “second toddlerhood.” Like toddlers, tweens are striving for independence and determined to do things on their own. Except when they’d rather not. Some days, they want nothing more than to be little kids again, cuddled in your lap. The mood swings of tween boys catch many parents off guard, … Continue reading 135: Tween Boys
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How do you respond to phone calls and emails from teachers about your son’s misbehavior? Excerpts of actual emails I’ve received from my son’s teachers: On Tuesday, Sam was sitting in a chair with his legs on a stool, he was flipping it and turning the stool with his legs and feet. I made eye … Continue reading 131: Emails & Phone Calls from Teachers
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One of our jobs, as parents and educators of boys, is to help them learn how to deal with tough emotions — including grief. As much as we want to, we can’t protect our boys from hurt. Loved ones die. Parents divorce Friends move. Boys fail to achieve important goals, and experience rejection from peers. … Continue reading 129 Grief with Tom Golden
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If your kids always do what they’re told, consistently treat others with kindness and never over-react to unintended slights, you can skip this episode. If not — WELCOME! Your child is 100% normal, and you’re going to love this conversation with Jen, Janet and Katherine Reynolds Lewis, author of The Good News About Bad … Continue reading 123: The Good News About Bad Behavior with Katherine Reynolds Lewis
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Does your son have a summer job? Most boys don’t. In 1978, 60% of teens had summer jobs; today, that number hovers between 35 and 40%. Boys today are more likely to spend their days playing sports, brushing up on academics and traveling with family or as part of mission teams. (And playing Fortnite.) Years … Continue reading 117: Summer Jobs
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How comfortable are you with risk? Do you respond with fear or encouragement when your son wants to try something new? How about when you find him climbing atop your tree house? Or doing flips off a public staircase? Adults’ desire to keep boys safe often interferes with boys’ ability to take chances and try … Continue reading 116: Why Risk Is Important for Boys
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‘Tis the season for sleepaway camp and summer sleepovers! For some parents and kids, though, the prospect of a night away from home is scary. There are so many ‘what-if’s’ that could happen: what if they’re cold? what if they get homesick? what if…what if…what if… But what if you let your kid go anyway? What if … Continue reading 114: Sleepovers, Camp, and Separation Anxiety
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Welcome to Part 2 of our first Listener Q & A! This week, Jen & Janet tackle 3 more questions: “What strategies do you use to deal with a sudden increase in lying in pre-teen boys?” “What’s the best way to allow young boys to be adventurous/risky physically while maintaining a clear, safe boundary and … Continue reading 113: Lying, Risk, & How to Advocate for Boys (Listener Q&A, Part 2)
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According to the Oxford Living Dictionaries, self-esteem is “confidence in one’s own worth or abilities; self-respect.” That’s something we want for our kids. We’re not talking about participation trophies simply for showing up; we’re talking about a true sense of pride that comes for knowledge of your capabilities. Nurturing that kind of self-confidence is a … Continue reading 111: Self-Esteem and Boys