by janetedgette | Oct 17, 2016 | Boy behavior, Boys, Boys and sports, Bullying, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys
Our discussions with kids about bullying typically cover such topics as what they can do, who they should tell, or why kids bully in the first place. But where does that leave the kid who feels the only way to keep himself safe is to bully other kids? Does he have...
by janetedgette | Oct 10, 2016 | Boys, Boys and sports, Bullying, Masculinity
In the 2006 Winter Olympics, a young man by the name of Johnny Weir competed in men’s figure skating. Weir skated beautifully in his short program, but not so well in the long program. He didn’t win a medal, despite high hopes from his countrymen. But his flamboyant...
by janetedgette | Oct 8, 2016 | Boy behavior, Boys, Bullying, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Parenting, Parenting young children
It’s a simple phrase meant to dismiss bad boy behavior as simply boy behavior. Because of it, countless boys have been left to suffer at the hands of other boys, the latter group empowered by the implicit sanctioning of their brutality. Sure, girls and boys are...
by janetedgette | May 15, 2016 | Boys, Boys and sports, Home Page, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Parent-Child communication, Parenting, Parenting young children
My son doesn’t like to play sports. And I’m okay with that. I’m not so sure about the rest of America, though. In our culture, it seems that boys who aren’t interested in sports are quickly set apart from the other boys on the block. At least that’s what happened to...
by janetedgette | Apr 9, 2016 | Boy behavior, Boys, Masculinity
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 | Apr 8, 2016 | Boys, Family life, Mental health, Parenting, Parenting teens
Mom, there’s a guy in our driveway with a tow truck, my son reports. With miscalculated insouciance I reply, No worries, dude, I’m sure it’s Bill. Bill, our neighbor, owns a service station. He’s hooking up your car, mom. I run outside to yell at this man,...
