Raising Boys
The last decade has seen heightened interest in and awareness of the issues surrounding boys in most of the western world. It is common knowledge that boys lead the way in all the wrong statistics, including; problematic behaviours, learning difficulties and health problems. Educators and professionals around the world are looking for ways to cater for and engage young males. Approval and high regard lie at the heart of raising happy, well-adjusted boys. Boys are approval-seeking creatures. They craved to be liked, loved and appreciated - particularly by their mothers and other significant women in their lives. They also want approval from their fathers, which can be a tough ask. Yes, boy's behaviour are often in your face and direct. Subtle, boys are not. But at least you know where you stand with boys. Yes, they can be dirty, scruffy and smelly but scratch the surface and you will reveal a gem underneath. Yes, they are often more boisterous and active than girls but don't mistake boisterousness with aggression. Provide them with the space to be active and give them ways to channel their energy in productive ways. Yes, they are more prone to solving social problems physically than we would like but their verbal skills need to be worked on a little harder. They need to be shown how to resolve issues verbally rather than told how to do it. Yes, they are developmentally not as advanced as girls but we need to aware of this when we decide the age they should start school. Boys who start school on the before five years of age often have an uphill battle compared to girls who can have a twelve month edge on them maturity-wise. Yes, some boys have difficulty getting organised and will invariably have messy bedrooms, desks and leave clothes lying around but they need step-by-step advice (as well as some lists and a willingness to repeat instructions) about how to manage themselves and their schedules. Yes, boys are not strong at reading the signs that others give and can say and do the wrong things in public or at school. But we need to encourage them to stand back and look (or think) before they leap (or act) so that they can be a little more intuitive. Yes, they are not the world's most avid readers but we can account for this by reading to them and making it fun, giving them more male role models who read and provide alternative ways to gain information other than books. Yes, boys don't work as neatly as girls in school but they are usually more task oriented and can't see the point of such processes. Computers are a huge help for those boys who struggle to produce neat, tidy work with neat, tidy borders. Yes, boys can be clumsy socially but they form friendships around shared interests and are less likely to exclude people from their friendship circles because of something trivial such as the clothes they wear. Yes, boys play for keeps when they play competitive sport but it is the way they push themselves rather than prove themselves at the expense of others. Yes, boys have a different pathway to adulthood than girls - they become adults by proving themselves so even simple games of sport can become a test of their mettle. We need to provide them with safe proving grounds so they don't have to resort to illegal or dangerous ways of testing their masculinity. Okay, so this maybe a biased, Pollyannaish view of boys but to successfully raise and teach boys we must understand and work with the gender differences. And above all us you must LIKE them. Michael Grose is The Parent Coach. For seventeen years he has been helping parents deal with the rigours of raising kids and survive!! For information about Michael's Parent Coaching programs or just some fine advice and ideas to help you raise confident kids and resilient teenagers visit http://www.parentingideas.com.au
MORE RESOURCES:
Princess Cruises unveils yoga for kidsUSA Today - 7 hours agoStill, yoga for kids? That's the Big New Thing this week at Princess Cruises, which announced it is rolling out what it bills as the industry's first yoga ... |
YMCA yoga class begins at Camp YomechasMiddleboro Gazette, MA - 3 hours agoMIDDLEBORO — The YMCA's Fall I 2008 session of yoga begins Thursday, Sept. 11. A new meditation class will be offered from 6-7 pm, and All Levels Yoga ... |
DNC Bloggers Choose Yoga, Not CheetosU.S. News & World Report, DC - Aug 27, 2008They're twittering away in the "Big Tent," an 8000-square-foot structure with morning yoga sessions and late-afternoon happy hours. ... |
Yoga classes offered in SalisburyBethany Beach Wave, DE - 3 hours agoThe Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Salisbury is located at 2812 Old Ocean City Rd. A lunchtime yoga class is held Wednesdays at noon at Salisbury ... |
Downward dogsCalgary Herald, Canada - 6 hours agoJessica Beck is her 30-year-old owner and a Calgary-based yoga teacher about to launch a class for dog owners and their dogs with Patricia Kopec, ... |
Yoga - Google News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Mommy, I Can't Sleep! Sleep Disturbance in Children
"Just turn the lights off and go to sleep"Do you find yourself saying this to your child? Well, you're not alone!!Sleep problems are some of the most common problems parents face with their children. Some parents struggle with getting their child to sleep through the night.
Real Monsters Under Your Bed
There may really be a real monster under your kidâ??s bed!Seriously, they could actually be there!If you are a parent you have heard about monsters under the bed and in the closet. There was even a movie about Monsters coming into kidâ??s bedrooms through the closet.
Meet The Twixters!
There is a new stage of development for parents to consider.The stages of development are roughly the following: children move from infancy, to early childhood and onwards to middle childhood.
Kids: Channeling Mania Towards Productivity
More and more kids these days are diagnosed ADD, ADHD, or Bipolar. There are biological reasons for this, and there are environmental elements which can soothe or aggravate the symptoms.
Parenting Univeristy: Potty Training 101
When your child shows signs of potty training readiness, it's time to purchase some essential potty training items. There are many new products which can help to make potty training quick and easy for both you and your child.
Parents Rights Violated By Public School Compulsory Attendence Laws
Compulsory attendance laws are school authorities' first assault on parental rights. These laws force almost forty-five million children to sit in often boring classes six to eight hours a day for twelve years.
Raising Boys
The last decade has seen heightened interest in and awareness of the issues surrounding boys in most of the western world. It is common knowledge that boys lead the way in all the wrong statistics, including; problematic behaviours, learning difficulties and health problems.
Top 50 Father Quotations
"The greatest gift I ever had Came from God, and I call him Dad! "-- Anonymous"Our earth is degenerate in these latter days; bribery and corruption are common; children no longer obey their parents; and the end of the world is evidently approaching."-- Assyrian clay tablet 2800 B.
Watch What You Say
"Now don't you go getting any ideas, Harold.""Don't you get any ideas either, Terry.
Parenting Your Teenager: How to Respond to Manipulation
Q. My daughter has gotten very good at manipulating us, and sometimes we do not even know it has happened until much later.
Simple Indulgences for September
As the kids go back to school, you can go back to *you*..
Imaginations Soar
Have you ever sat and watch a child struggle with a blank page? Have you ever wondered why some children just seem to detest anything to do with writing? Have you seem them just give up in frustration and walk away angry and distraught? Well you are not alone. Every one possesses the capability to write stories, plays, poems or journal writings.
Committed Parenting
When you think about it, probably the one thing that our children need most in order to grow up feeling loved, happy, and empowered enough to give of themselves to others is our commitment to them as parents. Our children must know that we have made a commitment to them and we must demonstrate that commitment constantly.
Are You Too Busy for Your Kids?
In his recent newsletter "Happy Kids", parenting expert Michael Grose (yes he is an expert with three kids of his own) said:Australian parents currently rate achieving work-family balance as their greatest parenting challenge. Currently, 71% of Australian parents say they have difficulty finding time to do the things they enjoy with their children.
Kids, Chores & More
Are you a frustrated parent who sometimes finds it is easier to take the garbage out yourself than to keep nagging your son? Do you wonder what kind of employee he will become since he doesn't always follow through at home? Is it worth the effort on your part to insist that he do his share? The answer is a resounding Yes!The lessons of life and self that we want our children to learn in our homes are not only the practical ones, such as making a bed, sewing on a button or cooking a meal. They include intangible benefits as well; it is equally important for children to learn the art of cooperation, the satisfaction of finishing a job, the ease in following a schedule and the value of sticking with a task.
Dinner Table Drama
It has been a long day. Home from work, you put together a nice, healthy dinner for the entire family to enjoy.
Fuzzy Names, Sweet Names
As with everything, names go through cycles of change with passing generations. I also tend to think that names have improved immensely since the first Elmas, Minervas, Bufords, and Alfreds graced the baby's room wearing appropriate nametags on their cribs.
Top Ten Things Parents Must Know About State Academic Standards (What Your Child s/b Learning)
Public education in the United States has never been equal for all students. It appears that those school districts located in wealthy communities have a bit more resources than those in poorer communities.
Finding Answers to Underachievement
Finding answers to a child's underachievement is often a difficult and complex process. Let intuition be your guide, knowing when and how to ask the right questions.
Im a Father, Doesnt Anyone Care?
The snow was getting heavier with each lift of the shovel. My back ached, and I was chilled to the bone.
|
