by janetedgette | Nov 6, 2020 | Boy behavior, Boys, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys
Esther J. Cepeda’s op-ed about the narrow margins of masculinity within which society tells men and boys to live (Guys, are you trapped inside the “ManBox” stereotype? Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 4/8/17) addresses a topic we are all familiar with, but don’t take...
by janetedgette | Nov 6, 2020 | Boy behavior, Boys, Boys and sports, Family life, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Parenting young children, Self-esteem
Whether it’s innate, or acquired from their respective environments, or due to a lack of socialization, or some mix of these, boys have a long history of doing odd or mischievous things that amuse grown-ups and make them think, Well, there’s a boy for you! Norman...
by janetedgette | Jul 16, 2020 | Boy behavior, Boys, Masculinity
In failing to see the difference between boys, and boys who are behaving badly, we leave room for bad behavior to be seen as just another facet of masculinity instead of as a function of poor mental health, family dysfunction, or poor socialization. Parents who are...
by janetedgette | Jul 12, 2020 | Boy behavior, Boys, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys
Men and boys run a pretty tight club, one beauty of it being that all of their rules and codes of conduct are handed down without benefit of contracts or bylaws or training manuals or even note cards. Most guys probably couldn’t even tell you where or when all that...
by janetedgette | Jan 28, 2020 | Boy behavior, Boys, Boys and sports, Kids who don't like sports, Nonathletic boys
Many parents believe that it’s important for their sons to have experience being a part of a sports team. I wonder, though, if there is such a big qualitative difference between the kind of camaraderie that develops among boys on competitive sports teams and what you...
by janetedgette | May 3, 2019 | Boy behavior, Boys, Boys and sports, Kids who are afraid to play sports, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Parenting young children, Self-esteem
In the agonizing moments before their names are called, those last boys picked for the kickball or basketball team during gym, or its un-legislated twin—recess—are getting a tutorial in what it means to be considered a liability. Alternating turns, the team...