Podcasts by ON BOYS Podcast

100: Introducing Co-Hosts Janet and Jen from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.344980

What do you get when you combine a former educator/family coach with a writer/mom of 4 boys? A podcast that's all about parenting, teaching and reaching tomorrow's men! In this episode, yo...

101: Homework and Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.338827

Photo by Lars Plougmann via Flickr Few things cause boys (and their families) as much stress as HOMEWORK. In many cases, homework battles turn into outright power struggles -- with no winners. In t...

102: Disappointments and Helping Boys Deal with Them from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.332644

Photo by Runar Pederson Hokestad via Flickr Sam had high hopes for this 12th birthday. But things didn’t go as planned. Instead of a day of adventure and independence, Sam’s had an encounter with ...

103: Sports and Boys Who Don’t Like Them from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.327484

Photo by woodleywonderworks via Flickr Sports are a HUGE part of boy world -- and that's a problem for boys who aren't interested in or don't particularly enjoy athletics. In this epis...

104: Anger and Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.322285

Photo by Stewart Baird via Flickr "By age 9, the default emotion for most boys is anger." -- Michael Gurian It's easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless in the face of a boy's anger, ...

105: Masculinity in the Age of #MeToo from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.317053

Photo by Independentman via Flickr What is masculinity? It's a question that's not easy to answer. But it's an important one for parents and educators of boys to tackle because the prim...

106: Screens and Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.312052

Photo by Paul Inkles via Flickr How many hours per week do your boys spend in front of a screen? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children ages 6-10 now spend 6 hours ...

107: Video Game Design – A Career for Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.307203

Photo by Ryan Quick via Flickr Can your video game-loving boy turn his passion into a career? Perhaps, says our special guest, Greg Wondra. Greg is a veteran game designer who worked on the MLB 2K...

108: Video games and Boys (with special guest Greg Wondra) from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.302351

Photo by Isengardt via Flickr Why do boys spend so many hours playing videogames?  And how worried should we be about the hours they spend gaming? To get some answers, we turned to a true expert:...

109: Gun Play and Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.297310

Photo by Craig Marren via Flickr  Is Gun Play Really Okay? A generation ago, gun play was an acceptable part of childhood. Parents gave their kids toy guns as gifts -- yes, even Red Ryder BB guns...

110: Talk to Boys about Sex with Amy Lang from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.292933

Amy Lang is a sex educator -- and the mom of a teenage boy who is utterly mortified by his mom's career. If anyone understands just how awkward talking about sex with your son can be -- and how...

111: Self-Esteem and Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.288729

Photo by ASDA NRCS Montana 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 ...

112: Potty Talk, Vaping&School (Listener Q&A, Part 1) from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.284740

When we put out a call for listener questions, you sent us some doozies! In this, our first-ever Listener Q & A (Part 1), we tackle three of your questions: "I just finished listening t...

113: Lying, Risk,&How to Advocate for Boys (Listener Q&A, Part 2) from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.281177

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?&...

114: Sleepovers, Camp, and Separation Anxiety from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.278122

Photo by Matthew Ingram via Flickr '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 m...

115: The Boy Crisis with Warren Farrell from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.274250

Your son is not the only one struggling. According to Dr. Warren Farrell -- and a slew of research -- boys in 63 of the largest developed nations are faring worse than girls. They're doing wors...

116: Why Risk Is Important for Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.269658

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 ...

117: Summer Jobs from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.264019

Photo by Austin Kirk via Flickr 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 li...

118: Business Tips from a 12-Year-Old Entrepreneur from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.257852

Sam Fink, age 12 Boys can learn a lot by starting and running a business. Jen's youngest son, Sam, bought his older brother's lawn business two years ago, when the older brother moved to ...

119 Consent with Mike Domitrz from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.251069

Kids want the skill set to empower them to make the right choices. -- Mike Domitrz, founder of The Date Safe Project & father of 4 boys Talking to boys about consent is a must. It's also in...

120: Hygiene Help for Tween&Teen Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.244924

The shower at Jen's house Have a boy who hates to shower? You are not alone! When a mom recently asked the Building Boys Facebook group, "Anyone else have a teenage boy who hates to show...

121: Sibling Stress: How to Handle Bickering, Fighting&More from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.239353

Photo by Anna Mayer via Flickr If you have more than one child, you have sibling stress. Bickering! Fighting! Maybe even bullying. Seeing -- and hearing -- our children torment each other is maj...

122: Co-Parenting with Brandie Weikle from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.234393

photo by J.K. Califf via Flickr The word co-parenting is typically associated with divorce, but maybe it's time to change that association. After all, the term refers to shared responsibility...

123: The Good News About Bad Behavior with Katherine Reynolds Lewis from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.228899

  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...

124: How to Help Your Boys Have a Great School Year from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.223108

Photo by ThoseGuys 199 via Flickr It's back to school time!  But despite the smiley faces pictured in many back-to-school ads, the start of a new academic year doesn't exactly generate fe...

125: Anxiety&Depression in Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.219168

Photo by Brent Gambrell via Flickr   1 in 2 children will develop a mood or behavioral disorder or substance addiction by age 18.  We parents like to think that if we "do everything right,&#...

126: Helping Teachers Understand Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.215457

Photo via PixaBay A listener asked us, "How do you gently encourage/educate your boy's teacher on what boys need and how to help them, rather than shame them, when they have gone into ange...

127: Help! My Son Has a Girlfriend! (Listener Q&A) from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.210187

  "My son just turned 14 & his girlfriend is 13, and he doesn't understand why I won't leave them alone in my house. Am I being over protective of BOTH of them? I feel a duty of car...

128: 21st Century Sex Ed with Jo Langford from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.204872

Jo LangfordSex educator & author The standard "birds and bees" sex talk doesn't work any more. (If it ever really did!) Today, parents have to address pornography, homosexuality, ...

129 Grief with Tom Golden from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.199410

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 on...

130: Homework re-run from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.193587

HOMEWORK can bring out the worst in us...and our kids. We wonder if we should force them to do it (again) or if we can just stop having them do it all together because the conflict is too great. Is...

131: Emails&Phone Calls from Teachers from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.187667

Photo by Pascal Maramis via Flickr 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 teach...

132: Risk-Taking Boys with Mom Judi Ketteler from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.182176

Would you let your 10-year-old son hang out with a bunch of teenagers you haven’t met? Would you let him attempt a double or triple flip in the trampoline in the backyard – or manage his own Instag...

133: Re-Run – The Good News About Bad Behavior from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.175718

Enjoy this episode from our archives - it's too good to miss! AND if you're intrigued by what you hear, consider joining co-host Janet Allison for her upcoming online class: "5 Steps t...

134: Rites of Passage from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.169600

Photo by Linda Severson via Flickr   Traditional societies had many (often elaborate) rites of passage for boys and girls. On the South Pacific island of Vanuatu, boys become men after diving of...

135: Tween Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.164224

Photo by Whitney H via Flickr 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 t...

136: Thankful for Boys! from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.158446

Photo by Cindi Albright via Flickr   We talk a lot about what's hard about parenting. About all of the important things you need to and should do with your boys. This Thanksgiving, we talk ab...

137: iGen from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.151770

Photo by Janet Allison   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 19...

138 Holiday Gifts&Guilt from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.145973

Tis the season for gift-giving, overspending & guilt. In today's consumer culture, there's intense pressure to show love and care for your family via material things. We give you per...

139: Maggie Dent on Mothering Our Boys (Part 1) from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.140073

Maggie Dent   Please meet the marvelous Maggie Dent! Known in Australia as "the queen of common sense," Maggie is a teacher, counselor and dedicated BOY CHAMPION. She's a popular sp...

140 Maggie Dent on Mothering Our Boys (Part 2) from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.134658

Photo by cotaro70s via Flickr   Want your boys to develop gentleness and empathy? Get a guinea pig. So says Maggie Dent, Australia's BOY CHAMPION, mother of four grown boys and author of Mot...

141: Best of 2018 from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.129062

As 2018 draws to a close, we reflect back on our first year.  This podcast launched on March 12, 2018. Since then, we've recorded 40+ episodes, on everything from tween boy hygiene to how to t...

142: Resolutions for People Who Care About Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.123375

The word resolution means "a firm decision to do or not to do something." It also means "the action of solving a problem, dispute, or contentious matter." As we head into 2019, let...

143 How Confidence&Joy Spark Success from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.117806

"Confidence and joy are to the development of a child as oxygen is to life."   -- from Confidence & Joy: Success Strategies for Kids with Learning Differences If your son struggles -- a...

144: You Asked about Age 14, Implicit Bias and Sensitive Boys (Listener Q&A) from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.111716

  Photo by duncan c via Flickr Our listeners ask the big, important questions! When we put out our most recent call for listener questions, we got some heart-felt, thought-provoking, difficult-t...

145 Masculinity Goes Viral: The APA Guidelines, Gillette Ad&Boys of Covington High School from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.105668

By now, you've probably seen this picture... ...and heard about Gillette's new ad, The Best Men Can Be Maybe you've even heard about the American Psychological Association's G...

146 What You Need to Know about Boys&Suicide (w Katey McPherson) from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.099386

Young men are 4X more likely to die of suicide than young women The suicide rate for boys ages 15 to 19 grew by 30 percent from 2007 to 2015 Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for a...

147 Raising Boys with Amy Joyce of The Washington Post from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.093930

Over the last year or so, as story after story of men's misconduct hit the headlines, one question rang out in the hearts, minds and souls of parents: How do we raise boys to become good men?  ...

148: 14 Ways to Love Your Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.088267

Love really is what makes the world go around.  At least, it's what makes the world a better place! Photo by photosavvy via Flickr On Valentine's Day, our thoughts typically turn to roma...

149: All About E-sports from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.082785

Photo by Ye Fang Kuang via Flickr Competitive video gaming may be coming soon to a school near you. E-sports  (short for "electronic sports") is a $900 million dollar global industry. In ...

150 Being a Stay-at-Home Dad from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.077132

Meet Stay-at-Home Dad, Homeschooling Dad, and Mankind Project participant and advocate, Mark. Dad of Sam, age 8, husband of Corissa, living in Portland, Oregon, Mark retraces his journey as a boy ...

Rosalind Wiseman on How to Talk with Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.071311

Rosalind Wiseman's work is based on the belief that young people's experiences are important, but often discounted. Adults, she says, frequently give young people advice without listening ...

Our First Anniversary! from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.065785

Happy Anniversary....Happy Birthday .... Any way you slice it - we're thrilled to bring you this special edition of ON BOYS. After a year of conversations - that's well over 50+ hours of t...

Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World with Jordan Shapiro from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.061060

Janet & Jen had very different reactions to The New Childhood: Raising Children to Thrive in a Connected World, by author and educator Jordan Shapiro. Jen loved it. Janet has some, uh, question...

Age 16, Teen Driving&Cars from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.056021

Photo by Russ Allison Loar via Flickr Sweet 16. Here in the United States, age 16 has long been an eagerly anticipated milestone, largely because teens are eligible to get a driver's license ...

Vaping&E-Cigarette Use: What Parents Need to Know from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.049448

Photo by John Mackie via Flickr Nearly 1 in 3 high school seniors tried vaping in the last year.  Middle schoolers are vaping too. According to the Centers for Disease Control, e-cigarette use am...

Learning to Live with Boys (w Katy Rank Lev) from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.042233

Katy Rank Lev has 3 feral sons. (Her words, not ours!) And up until her first son was born nine years ago, Katy had zero experience living with boys. She recently sent us this message :  I just ha...

How to Listen to Him – So He Will Want to Talk with You from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.036371

"He just won't talk to me." If you've ever uttered those words, you are not alone. Nearly every parent of boys has complained and/or worried about their sons' silence. We know ...

Trust Yourself Mama (w Kelly Goodwin) from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.031044

Kelly Goodwin is boy mom extraordinaire. Kelly Goodwin w her husband & 5 boys She's got 5 boys (currently ages 8-16), a degree in child development and a slew of nieces and nephews. If pa...

Helping Boys Deal with Negative Stereotypes from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.024995

Photo by Pat Knight via Flickr Boys are subject to negative stereotypes too. If you've been parenting boys for awhile, that fact probably isn't news to you. You've probably heard your...

How to Raise a Boy with Michael C. Reichert from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.018538

  How do you raise boys to become great men? That's the big question we tackle here at On Boys. It's the question Jen grapples with in her own home and on BuildingBoys, and the question...

Finding Balance&Handling Disrespect (Listener Q&A) from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.012033

Photo by Veronique Debord-Lazaro via Flickr We recently put out a call for listener questions, and boy, did you send 'em to us! Deanna asked: about the struggle of trying to find the perfect ...

Will He Ever Grow Up?! from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.007135

Photo by Daniel Hooker via Flickr   When do boys grow up? That question tends to elicit a chuckle; ask it in a group of middle-aged women, and you're likely to hear someone joke about their ...

Teaching Boys Social Skills from 2023-12-12T15:53:23.002307

Boys interact differently than girls do. Sure, some of that is socialization. (A lot of that is probably socialization.) But the fact remains: boys' interactions on the playground, in school a...

Managing the Transition to College from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.996143

Do you have a son heading off to college or university this fall? How about in the future? The more you know about the college search and admission process, the easier this transition will be -- f...

Breaking the Boy Code from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.989445

The Boy Code. The Man Box. Whatever you want to call it, our boys are constrained by a largely unspoken set of expectations that exert pressure on them to behave and act in certain ways. Jonathon ...

Backcountry, Barbells&Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.983557

What do you get when you mix two fitness- and outdoors-minded dads with two moms who are staunch advocates for boys? A freewheeling discussion that touches on everything from fatherhood to weapons ...

Summer Survive and Thrive Tips from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.977312

Ahhhh, summer! Relaxed lazy days....oh, who are we kidding?!? For most parents in the Northern hemisphere, summer is a time of stress. The kids are home from school and the parents have to somehow ...

Encouraging Independence from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.970738

As we in the United States celebrate our nation's independence, we reflect on our boys' drive for independence.  Toddlers cry, "I do it!" when we attempt to put on their clothes. O...

Sensory Processing Disorder with Nancy Peske from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.964845

Do you know what sensory processing disorder (SPD) is?  Many parents (and teachers) don't, but 5-15% of all children exhibit symptoms of SPD, which affects how they learn, socialize and intera...

Masks We Wear with Ashanti Branch from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.958194

Our boys often wear metaphorical masks. We all do, in fact. At work, we typically wear our confident, professional faces. At home, we aim for warm, nurturing and competent. But underneath, we may ...

Addressing Racism&Racial Disparities with Hilary Beard from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.950965

Black boys fare worse than white boys in 99% of America. Here to help us untangle the many factors that affect black boys' experience in America is Hilary Beard, author of Promises Kept: Raisi...

Coaches Speak about Youth Sports from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.939521

Youth sports are a BIG DEAL.  According to ESPN, 28.7 million American kids between the ages of 6 and 17 played youth sports in 2013. That number is likely low; many kids start well before age 6. ...

Helping Boys Head Back to School from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.933956

The beginning of the school year stirs up a lot of emotions for boys -- and their parents. The number of boys who don't like school has been increasing in recent years. In 1980, just 14% of boy...

Gender Differences, Bragging&Raising World Citizens from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.928724

It's time for another listener Q & A! A Boys Alive! FB group member asks: How can I interest a teen boy in becoming a good world citizen? A Twitter follower asks: What do you say to boys...

“My Boy Can” Parenting from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.923574

At age 4, Sassy Harvey's son was told that if he dances, he must be a girl. Or gay.  Not surprisingly, he quit dance class soon after that. It's 2019. Girls, we know can become astronauts...

Why Boy Moms Need Mentors Too from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.918013

Google "boy mentors" and you'll get more than 20,000,000 results. Search for "mentors for boy moms" and you'll get just over 900,000 results -- and most are resources to hel...

Parenting Boys with Maggie Dent – Part 1 from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.912156

Maggie Dent Our friend Maggie Dent  will be in British Columbia later this month, so we thought this would be a great time to re-share her wisdom & encouragement! Maggie the mom of four now-gr...

Parenting Boys with Maggie Dent – Part 2 from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.906165

More Maggie Dent! (If you haven't yet listened to Part 1 of our conversation, go listen to that one first. Then come back for more Maggie!) In this episode, Maggie, Janet & Jen discuss: ...

Teaching Boys Respect from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.899822

Photo by Martin Abegglen via Flickr What is respect? We tell our boys all the time to "show some respect!" and to "respect your teachers," and worry about whether or not our boys ...

Parent From Love, Not Fear (w Bryan Post) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.888347

The secret to parenting success  -- & satisfaction -- is simple: Parent from love, not fear.  Bryan Post So says Bryan Post, founder of The Post Institute for Family Centered Therapy. Adopted...

Parenting Tween&Teenage Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.881518

Are all teenage boys jerks? That's the question we tackle in this episode, albeit with some more colorful language. (Heads up: If you're opposed to the word "asshole," you might wa...

Steve Biddulph on Raising Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.875422

Australian author and psychologist Steve Biddulph was one of the first to highlight the unique needs of boys. In the mid-1990s, "Steve went out on a limb to stand up for boys and men in a time...

Helping Teens Cope with Anxiety, Depression&More from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.869472

It's not easy to talk to boys about anxiety, depression and mental health. And yet, in a world in which 1 in 8 kids has an anxiety disorder and 2-3% of children ages 6-12 have serious depressi...

How Shame Harms Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.862295

Photo by Grey World via Flickr What do you do if a teacher shames your son in front of the class?  For many parents, this is not an abstract question. Teachers, coaches, bus drivers and yes, even...

Charlie Capen on Fatherhood and Raising Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.852684

Charlie Capen Humor, says Charlie Capen, is one of the most important tools in parenting. But this actor/musician/writer/dad-of-two-boys isn't afraid to get serious either. Capen is one of th...

The Military Wife and Mom with Lauren Tamm from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.847691

November is Military Family Month. We Americans pause on November 11 to recognize the sacrifices of our veterans. This month, let's also remember the sacrifices of their families. If you think...

Parenting on Purpose with Dr. Vanessa LaPointe from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.842944

"You will be brought to your knees in the act of parenting." -- Dr. Vanessa Lapointe Parenting boys is not an easy gig! So often, we are confronted with situations that we simply don't...

Paul Tough on What Boys Need to Know About College from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.837293

How important is college? That's a fraught question for many families, particularly in an age of rapid technological change and occupational insecurity. We've been told that education is t...

How to Teach Boys Gratitude from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.825301

Image by Kate Ware via Flickr How do you teach boys gratitude? So many parents today are frustrated by their boys' apparent lack of gratitude. All too often, our boys come off as ungrateful, ...

Middle School Matters with Phyllis Fagell from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.820784

"Middle school," Phyillis Fagell says, "is a stew of simmering hormones, shifting relationships and increased expectations." It's also a time of massive confusion and overwhelm...

Personal Hygiene for Tween&Teen Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.816205

We initially ran this episode in July 2018. But we've gained a lot of followers since then and tween & teen boys have not suddenly gotten better at personal hygiene in the interim. If you&#...

Raising Boys Documentary from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.808929

CBSN recently released a new documentary, Raising Boys. Among those featured in the documentary: our very own Jennifer L.W. Fink. The intent of the documentary, says producer Kayla Ruble, was to...

Best of 2019 from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.802876

340%. The ON BOYS audience grew by 340% this year. We now have listeners in more than 110 countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, the UK, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Botswan...

Which Apps are APPropriate? (w Jo Langford) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.797666

Jo LangfordSex educator & author How much do you know about the apps KIK, WeChat and My LOL? If you're like most parents, the answer is "not much" (if anything!). You know that ce...

Meagan Francis of The Mom Hour: Parenting in the Digital Age from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.793640

Meagan Francis has been writing, blogging and podcasting about parenting for the better part of 20 years. You might not know her name, but odds are good you've seen a photo of her: That'...

Dealing with Change, Anxiety&Energy (Listener Q&A) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.789562

Photo by Kevin Dooley via Flickr How do you help boys deal with change and anxiety? And how can parents deal with boys' incessant energy?  Those are just a few of the questions we tackle in o...

Supporting Black Boys’ Mental Health (w Chandra White-Cummings) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.785612

Suicide rates among black boys ages 13-19 rose 60% from 2001 to 2017. And for children ages 5-12, black males are committing suicide at higher rates than any other racial or ethnic group. Signific...

Teaching Honesty in a World That Lies (w Judi Ketteler) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.782089

Is honesty the best policy?  Not necessarily, says Judi Ketteler, author of Would I Lie to You? The Amazing Power of Being Honest in a World That Lies. If Judi's name (and voice) sound familia...

ADHD with Ryan Wexelblatt the ADHD Dude from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.778787

Approximately 3-10% of children have ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Many of them -- the majority, in fact -- are boys. Today's guest, Ryan Wexelblatt (aka ADHD Dude) describe...

Boys and Sex with Peggy Orenstein from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.775809

Talking about boys and sex can be uncomfortable. But if want our boys (and girls and non-binary children) to have healthy, safe, fulfilling sexual relationships, it's essential. And there'...

Helping Boys Grow Into Healthy Men (w Ted Bunch) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.772463

How can we help our boys grow into healthy men? Ted Bunch, chief development officer of A Call to Men, says he thinks that the key is to support our boys as they become their authentic selves. Te...

Understanding Male Development: Baby Boys&Toddlers from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.768666

Baby boys' testosterone levels are nearly the same as teenage boys'. But for the first few weeks after conception, well, there's no discernible difference between a male embryo and a f...

Twice Exceptional Boys (w Ramsey Hootman) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.764837

Do you know what the term "2e" means? Photo by Jesper Sehested Pluslexia via Flickr 2e is short for "twice exceptional," a term used to refer to people who are both highly gifted ...

Happy SECOND Anniversary to ON BOYS from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.761005

Two years. More than 100 episodes covering important topics such as boys & sex, masculinity, ADHD, mental health, honesty & so much more. But on our SECOND anniversary, we're most gr...

Coping With Coronavirus from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.757629

How are you coping with coronavirus?  Our lives have undergone some pretty massive disruptions over the past few weeks, and it looks like more changes may be on the horizon. We'll all learning...

Raising Boys in an Era of Girl Power (Listener Q&A) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.753836

Photo by Valerie Everett via Flickr Raising boys brings up all kinds of questions. No matter how long you've been parenting, educating or working with boys, you're bound to stumble into a...

Just Don’t be an Asshole (with Kara Kinney Cartwright) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.749280

Kara Kinney Cartwright has a message for teenage boys & young men: just don't be an asshole. The mom of two grown sons, Kara began writing Just Don't Be an Asshole: A Surprisingly Ne...

Managing Emotions from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.745043

Managing emotions -- our boys, & our own -- is challenging in the best of times. This, most definitely is not the best of times. We're cooped up in our houses with kids who miss their frie...

Decoding Boys with Dr. Cara Natterson from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.741024

Wouldn't it be great if boys came with a magic decoder ring to help you decode their mysteries and moods?  Dr. Cara Natterson's book, Decoding Boys: New Science Behind the Subtle Art of Ra...

COVID-19 Listener Q and A from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.736415

Photo by Nik Anderson via Flickr COVID-19 (the disease caused by the novel coronavirus) has changed everything. Our daily lives now look nothing like we imagined at the beginning of the year. We&...

Parenting Your Adult Children from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.706593

The phrase "adult children" is an oxymoron: the words adult and children clearly describe very different things, and it's impossible to be an adult and a child at the same time. Except...

Understanding Gender with Dr. Alex Iantaffi from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.702

A generation ago, few people thought much about understanding gender. Then, gender seemed simple and straightforward: boy or girl, male or female. Things are different today. Merriam-Webster dec...

Mom is in Control with Heather Chauvin from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.697636

Is mom in control at your house?  We don't mean "in control" in the dictator sense, or in the mom-is-storming-around-the-house-yelling-at-everyone way. We don't even mean "in c...

Single Parenting w Wealthy Single Mommy Emma Johnson from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.693900

There are 10 million single moms in the United States. Many are raising boys. And despite the naysayers, many are doing a great job! Is single parenting difficult, especially during a pandemic? A...

Why Boys Need Chores – with Victoria Prooday from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.688467

Chores, Victoria Prooday says, are the most efficient way to build our boys' emotional muscle. Prooday, a psychotherapist, occupational therapist and speaker, is convinced that self-regulation...

Sexual Abuse Affects Boys Too (w Lawrence Cohen) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.684831

Photo by Lee Carson via Flickr  1 in 5 boys experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday.  More than one-quarter of male victims of a completed rape (27.8%) experienced their first rape whe...

Black Boys Matter from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.679256

Black boys matter. Such a simple statement. And yet... George Floyd is dead. His name joins the long list of others (Trayvon Martin, Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, etc., etc., etc.....

Differently Wired Boys&TiLT Parenting (w Debbie Reber) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.676205

At least 1 in 5 people are differently wired, says Debbie Reber, founder of TiLT Parenting. Differently wired kids are neurologically atypical. They perceive the world differently than their peers...

Dads Speak on Father’s Day from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.673013

Dads are so important! We can't talk about raising boys without also talking about the men who help create and parent them. Dad were boys long before they were fathers, and they understand boy...

The Art of Roughhousing (w Dr. Lawrence Cohen) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.669438

Roughhousing can teach boys about healthy touch. Photo by SnarkleMotion via Flickr Society teaches boys that there are two kinds of "acceptable" touch for males: sex, and aggression. No w...

The Summer Slide from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.666977

Summer slide (noun): The loss of academic skills and knowledge over the course of summer vacation Photo by bcrumpler via Flicker Parents (& educators) have long worried about the things kids ...

Wilderness Therapy w Paul Cumbo from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.663695

He couldn’t sleep. Mike’s face stung from the gash and the stitches and a pulsing ache radiated from the back of his skull. His knuckles were shredded, and his arm throbbed under the thick bandages...

Supporting Boys’ Interests from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.660626

Supporting boys' interests is essential, especially in a world that so often tells them their interests are unwelcome. Wanna wrestle? Don't; you might hurt someone. Wanna dance? Don't; ...

Boys and Body Image from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.656338

Almost 1/3 of boys are trying to gain weight or bulk up.  For years, body image concerns were thought to be a female issue. But superhero costumes for toddler boys  now come equipped with built-in...

Parenting Teenage Boys w Joshua Wayne from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.653379

Parenting teenage boys is HARD.  Their brains aren't yet fully mature yet they're bigger and stronger than most parents. They have more energy than their parents -- and when they are bound...

Back to School 2020 from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.650107

Back to School 2020 will go down in the annals of history. Image via PixaBay The United States (and world) is still wrestling with the coronavirus pandemic. Schools are slated to "open" -...

How (&Why) to Start a Boys’ Book Club from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.646291

Can a book club help boys enjoy reading?  Yes, says Erin O'Donnell, a mom of two boys and author of How to Start a Kids Book Club. She and a bunch of other moms started a mother/son book club ...

My Boy Can with Sassy Harvey from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.642869

Sassy Harvey believes "my boy can." The mother of a young son who loves dance, Barbie and princesses. Sassy started a social movement after her then 4-year-old son quit dance because he...

Raising Boys to be Good Men from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.640038

We all want to raise good men. But how? It's one thing to WANT To raise good men, and another to figure out what that means on a daily basis. Exactly HOW do we raise good men? Aaron Gouveia i...

Help Boys Listen&Learn (Listener Q&A) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.637266

How do we help boys listen & learn?  Image by Andrew Steele via Flickr In month whatever of the pandemic, we're all grappling with a lot of tough questions, including what to do about sch...

It’s a Confusing Time to Be a Boy from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.634030

This is a really confusing time to be a boy in the United States. That's one of (the many!) insights Ryan Wexelblatt -- aka ADHD Dude -- gained while working with 14 and 15 year old boys durin...

Boys&Grandparents from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.599024

Are your boys close to their grandparents?  Not physically close -- physical distance is often more a matter of necessity or practicality than choice -- but emotionally close. Studies have found t...

Parenting Outside the Lines with Meghan Leahy from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.596342

Parenting outside the lines frees us up to connect with our children in an authentic way. It allows us to skip over the "must do's" and simply, instead, do the next right thing in any ...

Teach Boys Money Management from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.593851

How do you teach boys money management? 34% of American teenagers don't have bank accounts and rely predominantly on cash, according to a 2019 Junior Achievement USA survey. In fact, 1 in 5 te...

Preparing Boys for the World of Work from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.591132

One of our most important jobs as parents is preparing our boys for the world of work. The work world, though, has changed dramatically over the last few decades. "There's been a shift fro...

Listener Q&A – Parenting Teen Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.588036

Parenting teen boys is not easy. They're bigger than us. Stronger than us. They speak in a language we don't necessarily understand -- if they choose to speak at all. Their focus is turnin...

Managing Screen Time During the Pandemic from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.585319

How are you managing screen time during the pandemic?  According to at least one survey, kids' time online has more than doubled since the pandemic began, and many kids now spend more than 6 h...

Family Meetings&The 9-Year Change from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.582973

Family meetings can you help adapt your parenting to fit the changing needs of your family.  Photo by August de Richelieu from Pexels One of the most challenging (and demoralizing) aspects of par...

School&Learning in the COVID-19 Era from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.580336

How’s school going?  That’s a fraught question even when there’s NOT a pandemic going on. Now, it seems almost crazy to ask, given that most of us are dealing w less-than-ideal educational situati...

Maggie Dent: What Teenage Boys Really Need from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.578095

What words come to mind when you hear the phrase "teenage boys"? Messy? Stinky? Frustrating? Lazy? Moody? Dangerous? Teen boys can be all of those things. (So can teen girls!) But there&#...

The Evolution of Esports (w Baro Hyun) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.575270

Esports -- competitive videogaming -- is quickly becoming a very big deal. In 2017, 106.2 million people watched the League of Legend esports championship.  In 2020, 99.9 million watched the Super...

Boys&Anxiety (w Dr. Mary Wilde) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.572193

How much do you know about boys & anxiety? According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 7% of American children between ages 3-17 have a diagnosed anxiety di...

Boundaries&Consent (w Sarah Casper) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.568513

Most of us know what consent means. But knowing what it MEANS doesn’t necessarily guarantee that we - or our BOYS - will actually be prepared in the moment…. Acroyoga, or partnered yoga, helped Sa...

Helping Boys Become Resilient with Dr. Sandy Gluckman from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.563467

How do you help boys become resilient?  It's easy enough to say that resiliency is important, and we know that the ability to bounce back in spite of obstacles is essential for success and hap...

Cracking the Boy Code with Dr. Adam Cox from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.560652

Dr. Adam Cox helped Janet crack the boy code, way back when she was a first grade teacher who didn't know what to do with a class full of boys. His book, Cracking the Boy Code: How to Understan...

ON BOYS Most Popular Episode of 2020 from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.557886

Dr. Cara Natterson’s book, Decoding Boys: New Science Behind the Subtle Art of Raising Sons, came out in February 2020 & made a big splash. Kirkus Reviews calls it, "A common-sensical, gent...

Best of 2020: ON BOYS Year in Review from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.554607

The phrase "best of 2020" is a bit laughable.  Using the term "best" to describe a year that's included a global pandemic, remote schooling and massive disruptions to work and ...

Help! I Don’t Like My Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.548627

We don't always like our boys.  It's a bit taboo to admit that. We parents -- moms especially! -- are somehow expected to always have lovey feelings for our children. And we do love them. ...

Keeping Boys Safe Online (w Amy Lang) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.543190

Do you worry about keeping your boys safe online?  Thanks to the pandemic, we're all spending more time online. And unlike in years past, porn is now ubiquitous and easily accessible. Boys tod...

A Revolution for Men&Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.540239

One of our favorite musicals is Les Miserables, which is a story about the French revolution. It's also the story of love and transformation. What does that have to do with raising boys? Tod...

Family Personality Types from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.536713

What's your family personality?  Don't know? You're not alone. Most people don't think of families as having personalities, but when you understand your personality, your partner&...

Autism Rocks and Rolls from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.511559

About 1 in 54 children has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The key word in that sentence is "spectrum." Some people with A...

Sensitive Boys (w Dr. Sandy Gluckman) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.508429

The "man box" doesn't leave much room for sensitive boys. Photo by Debra Brown via Flickr Society prefers rough-and-tumble boys and men -- the strong, stoic types who lift heavy loads...

Richard Louv on Animals, Nature&Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.505359

Humans are hard-wired to connect with other species, says Richard Louv, author of Our Wild Calling: How Connecting with Animals Can Transform Our Lives -- and Save Theirs and Last Child in the Wood...

Dying to Be a Good Mother with Heather Chauvin from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.502834

Heather Chauvin was dying to be a good mother. Her determination to get it *just right* was fueled by a sense of failure - and societal norms that define "good moms" as self-sacrificing. ....

Social Media Safety from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.499817

Social media has been a lifeline during the pandemic. It can also destroy lives. In 2016, Ed Peisner's then-16-year-old son was viciously attacked in a social-media motivated assault -- which ...

How The Book of Dares Can Help Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.496722

The Book of Dares: 100 Way for Boys to be Kind, Bold and Brave turns "dare culture" on its head.  As you likely know, boys live in a world in which status is never fixed; it’s dependent up...

To Raise a Boy (w Emma Brown) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.494136

In her new book To Raise a Boy, author Emma Brown writes, "This is what I want for my son as he grows up: the ability to be himself without paying a social penalty."  [NOTE: This episode c...

ON BOYS is THREE! from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.491073

ON BOYS podcast is now officially three years old. Our episodes have been downloaded more than 465,000 times -- with almost 314,000 of those downloads coming over the past year. Join us in this ve...

K’Bro App Helps Boys Develop Emotional Resiliency from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.488087

Can the K'Bro app help boys develop emotional resiliency? Yes, says K'Bro founder Patrina Mack, a mother of a son who was inspired by her son's school-inflicted emotional challenges. I...

Novel Education for Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.485316

What would happen if we based our education for boys on their interests?  The idea of crafting an education around a student's interests is a bit novel in today's world of standardized cur...

Homeschool Hacks and How to Homeschool Boys (w Linsey Knerl) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.481732

How DO you homeschool boys? Trying to recreate school-at-home doesn’t work for most boys -- as so many families found out during the pandemic. And placing your life and career on hold while you ed...

Seth Perler Explains Executive Function from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.476904

Does your son have a problem with executive function? Let's put it another way.... Does he struggle with homework, procrastination, time management, or lack of motivation? Does he have ADHD? ...

Addiction Inoculation with Jessica Lahey from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.474333

Can you prevent addiction? Or alcoholism?  After all, no one dreams of taking their son to rehab. Or arguing with him, repeatedly, about his use of pot, alcohol or meth. When our babies are littl...

Boys Get Eating Disorders Too from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.471123

Males represent 25-40% of individuals with eating disorders. That’s not something people tell us when our boys are babies, and it’s not something most pediatricians mention at well-child checks --...

Forest Schools Get Boys Learning Naturally from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.468142

School + nature = forest schools Image: Laine Photos and Film "A forest school is holistic education outdoors in nature," says Nicki Farrell, co-founder of Wildings Forest School in Queen...

Future Focused Parenting&Raising Adults from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.465022

 Is future-focused parenting the key to raising adults? Yes, says Deana Thayer and Kira Dorrian, parent coaches and co-hosts of the Raising Adults podcast. "It's not about raising boys; i...

Fully Human with Raising Boys author Steve Biddulph from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.461756

Steve Biddulph is a legendary parenting educator. He's the author of  The Secrets of Happy Children, Raising Boys in the 21st Century: How to Help Our Boys Become Open-Hearted, Kind and Strong...

Why Feminist Tosha Schore Became an Advocate for Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.453579

Having sons forced Tosha Schore to reevaluate everything she knew about boys. Schore, the daughter of a single mom, grew up stepped in the women's movement. As a  child, she attended marches a...

Teacher Tom Talks About Boys, Emotions&Play from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.444644

Like us, Teacher Tom is concerned about how we raise our boys.

"In our culture, we have a society where men are lonely, men have higher suicide rates and men are more prone to violenc...

Highly Sensitive Boys with William Allen from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.441043

Do you have a highly sensitive boy? Perhaps your son has been called "too sensitive” or “too emotional.” Maybe he is easily overwhelmed, especially when he's surrounded by a lot of sensory...

How to Raise a Feminist Son with Sonora Jha from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.437102

You may wonder, how do you raise a feminist son? Or you might be wondering, WHY would you raise a feminist son?  What if we phrased it this way: How do you raise boys who respect and value all hu...

Constant Chaos Parenting with ADHD from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.432613

Parenting a child with ADHD or neurodivergence can be challenging. Especially if you're also neurodivergent. "When my youngest son was about 3 weeks old, he started crying and it really ne...

The First-Time Mom’s Guide to Raising Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.413554

Ever wished you had a guide to raising boys? A manual you can consult when your tween son confuses and frustrates you? Now, one exists -- and it's Jen's first book! The First-Time Mom...

Dr. Michele Borba Knows How to Help Boys Thrive from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.409797

Dr. Michele Borba knows how to help boys thrive. She's a "boy mom" -- a mother of 3 grown sons, educational psychologist, and the author of Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Ki...

How to NOT Raise an A-Hole from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.406768

When we become parents, someone really should hand us a book that details, exactly, how to NOT raise an a-hole.  Karen Alpert (of the blog Baby Sideburns), a mom of two and author of Mamas, Don...

Troubled Boys (w Kenneth R. Rosen) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.403369

What do you with troubled boys? With boys who are failing school, sneaking off, and using substances? Boys who have resisted disciplinary efforts and redirection? That's the question at the h...

You Can Thrive with Chronic Illness and Special Needs from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.400688

Yes, you can thrive with chronic illness and special needs. In fact, you can create a Very Happy Story no matter what challenges you're dealing with on the home front. Liza Blas, a mom of two...

Meghan Leahy on Parenting Outside the Lines from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.398303

Meghan Leahy is one of our favorite parenting experts. Her advice is grounded in experience (she's got 3 kids and is a parenting columnist for the Washington Post), understanding (again: she&#...

Amy Lang on How to Keep Boys Safe Online from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.395432

Amy Lang is our go-to sex ed expert. She's a mom of a son and she's not afraid to talk frankly about sex, pornography, relationships and consent. Our January 2021 conversation with Amy ...

Seth Perler TEFOS Summit&Executive Function from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.391343

If you attended Seth Perler's TEFOS summit -- The Executive Function Online Summit -- and want more info, you're in the right place. (And if you missed the summit, no worries! You can still...

The Musical Child with Joan Koenig from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.387447

Is your son musical?  Yes, he is -- even if hates singing, doesn't play an instrument, and acts up in music class. Human beings are inherently musical creatures, according to Joan Koenig, auth...

Parenting Sexually Active Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.384330

Like it or not, your son will probably become sexually active at some point.  Do you... a) buy him condoms? b) let his romantic interest stay over? c) say ABSOLUTELY NOT to sleep over requests?...

Boy Moms as Boy Advocates from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.380268

Boy moms make the most effective boy advocates.  That's a lesson Gemma Gaudette learned early on. Gaudette, the host of Idaho Matters on Boise State Public Radio and the mom of 2 sons, ages 13...

Healthy Sports Parenting from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.375331

Is healthy sports parenting possible? At elite levels of competition? If you watched the 2020 summer Olympics (held summer 2021), you know that the stress & strain of elite competition was a b...

Parenting Boys thru Divorce from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.371519

Parenting boys thru divorce is...challenging. Hard. Not fun. And also, important and worthy of your best effort. Unfortunately, most people going through divorce are not exactly in peak condition....

The Fully Human Parent by Steve Biddulph from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.367518

Let legendary parenting author Steve Biddulph teach you how to be a fully human parent. His book, Fully Human: A New Way of Using Your Mind, came out a few months ago and Janet talked to him about...

Teaching Boys to Drive from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.364065

Teaching boys to drive can be exciting, scary. and intimidating. Boys are more likely than girls to speed, drink while driving, and take chances when they have passengers in the car. "I t...

Hunt Gather Parent with Michaeleen Doucleff from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.360472

Hunt, Gather, Parent, by Michaeleen Doucleff, shares ancient wisdom that's still relevant today: the key to raising healthy, happy, helpful humans is to engage them in work of the family and co...

Practical Parenting Strategies (w Amy Williams) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.356348

Need some practical parenting strategies to help you manage hitting, backtalk and disobedience?  Amy Williams has solutions. Amy is a school counselor who also helps overwhelmed and stuck parents....

Another View of Wilderness Therapy from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.341380

Is wilderness therapy a good choice for troubled boys?  For boys who are self-harming, self-medicating with alcohol or drugs, or in trouble with the law? Is wilderness therapy the solution for fam...

The Tyler Merritt Project on Helping Boys Survive Mistakes from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.337084

Before he started The Tyler Merritt Project or created his viral video, Before You Call the Cops, Tyler Merritt was a confused, young black boy trying to make sense of all the expectations and ster...

Video Game Addiction from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.319553

Video game addiction Google that term and you'll get 95 million results -- and the first one is for an addiction treatment center. But is video game addiction really "a thing?" More i...

Keeping Boys Safe from Respiratory Viruses from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.315736

Did you know that boys may be more susceptible to respiratory viruses than girls? Society tells us that boys are strong and tough, but the truth is that males are biologically fragile -- from befo...

Jack Kammer: Boys are Affected by Sexism Too from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.311667

Jack Kammer says boys are affected by sexism too.  Boys and girls who engage in the same exact behavior may be treated very differently. And yet, when we fail to acknowledge that fact, we contribu...

Dr. Jon Lasser on Expanding Boys’ Opportunities from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.305701

Dr. Jon Lasser believes we all have a role to play in expanding boys' opportunities. The Man Box and Boy Code still limit and shape boys' behavior. And although there are plenty of books a...

Raising Next Gen Men from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.300092

How do we raise next gen men -- men who can thrive in the 21st century? "When you're on a playground, you can't yell, 'Hey, Tommy, cut that hegemonic masculinity out!'" say...

ON BOYS Most Popular Episode of 2021 from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.292204

ON BOYS listeners really want to know how to keep boys safe online. Which makes sense, given that the internet is a portal to all kinds of free and easily accessible porn -- as well as conspiracy ...

Best of 2021 from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.286499

Which ON BOYS episodes were the Best of 2021?  Photo by Olya Kobruseva from Pexels The answers may surprise you! 5. Highly Sensitive Boys with William Allen By age 5, William Allen understood v...

How to Have a Kid and a Life from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.279913

Yes, it's possible to have a kid and a life. A life beyond babies, boys, and ballgames. A life that includes your hopes, dreams, and passions. It's normal (and healthy) for your career, m...

Sports&Masculinity from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.274257

Sports and masculinity have long been intertwined. For a long time, boys and men were the only ones who were allowed to play sports. Athletic fields and locker rooms were seen as places where boys...

Navigating Race, Gender&Motherhood So White from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.268370

Nefertiti Austin’s son was 6 yrs old when she realized he’d “have to learn that his race and gender could get him killed," she writes in Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Paren...

Gender Norms Limit Boys (&Girls) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.261715

Gender norms still (and unnecessarily!) limit boys, says journalist Lisa Selin Davis, author of Tomboy: The Surprising History and Future of Girls Who Dare to be Different. Which may not be an acc...

Picky Eaters, Family Meals,&Nutrition from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.255555

Picky eaters... are incredibly common. Nearly all kids go through food jags. ALL humans have food preferences. Navigating all of this around the dinner table, though, can feel frustrating and over...

Brain-Body Parenting with Dr. Mona Delahooke from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.249655

Brain-body parenting can help you raise joyful, resilient boys, says Dr. Mona Delahooke. Boys' behavior offers clues as to what's going on inside the child -- and deciphering what's ha...

Empowering Boys w Laurie A. Couture from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.243784

Empowering boys is one powerful way to address the boy crisis. Some people -- often, people who don't have or work with boys -- wonder why boys need to be empowered. After all, they say, men s...

Myths&Misconceptions About Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.237913

How many of these myths & misconceptions about boys have you heard? How many do you believe? "Boys are easier than girls." "Boys are less emotional than girls." "Boy...

Raising LGBTQ Allies from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.223082

How do we raise LBGTQ allies? We know boys are (still) subject to a lot of homophobia and transphobia. Our culture is full of messages that tell boys it's best to be straight and stereotypical...

Four Years of ON BOYS from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.218296

Four years of ON BOYS podcast! 214 episodes, more than 900,000 downloads, and countless deep, moving moments. We've talked about vaping, sex, boys & body image, consent, connection, and mi...

How Microschools and Black Moms May End the School to Prison Pipeline from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.214922

When they realized that schools wouldn't change quickly enough to meet their kids' needs, members of the Black Mothers Forum opened microschools, with an eye toward ending the school to pri...

Global Initiative for Boys and Men from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.211081

The Global Initiative for Boys & Men (GIBM) focuses on research and advocacy to support boys and men, according to Sean Kullman, the group's president. GIBM has established a BAM index, a ...

Helping Boys Develop Healthy Body Image from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.208031

How can we help boys develop healthy body image?  That's not a question parents of boys asked in previous generations. Girls, parents thought, were the ones at risk for body dissatisfaction, g...

Listener Q&A: Playdates, School, Support,&Messes! from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.205070

Raising boys brings up all kinds of questions! Kristen asks: Is it normal for a 9-10 year old boy to get into physical altercations with friends at every play date? Juliann asks for help figurin...

Sex Talks with Tweens from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.202774

Sex talks with tweens can be...awkward.  Even Amy Lang, ON BOYS' go-to sex ed guru, stumbled through her initial sex talks with her son. "I thought I'd be great at it, but I just wasn...

Why Are Video Games So Important to Boys? from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.199381

Why are video games so important to boys? That's the question a listener sent in response to our recent call for questions. The listener who asked that question just happens to be Jen's br...

Mathew Blades on Healing Generational Trauma from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.195716

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 s...

Finding Ecohappiness from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.192032

Finding ecohappiness can decrease boys' anxiety levels and increase family harmony.  There's a strong -- and direct -- link between time in nature and mental health. Human beings require n...

The Gender Equation in Schools from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.188610

 Gender bias affects boys’ experience in schools. It’s most often unconscious and unintentional bias but it affects how our boys see themselves and how they feel about school and learning. And unt...

Dads, Boys,&Masculinity from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.185288

Dads need to help boys understand and shape masculinity. In years past, fathers were often "there, but not there," according to Craig Wilkinson, a dad of two and founder of Father a Nation...

Teens and Sleep with Lisa Lewis from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.181912

Sleep is as important to our teens as our toddlers. But ensuring a teenage boy gets the sleep he needs is even more difficult than convincing a toddler to nap that day after you move him from the ...

Britt Hawthorne on Raising Antiracist Children from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.178909

Britt Hawthorne, a mom of 2 boys and author Raising Antiracist Children: A Practical Parenting Guide, says that raising antiracist kids requires teaching them to identify unfairness. It includes i...

Michael Ian Black Discusses “A Better Man” from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.175582

Michael Ian Black shares some important and (mostly serious) thoughts about how to be a better man with his son -- and all of us -- in his book, A Better Man: A (Mostly Serious) Letter to My Son. ...

Honoring Dads on Father’s Day (&Always) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.169842

Father's Day here in America was first celebrated on June 19, 1910. It wasn’t declared an official holiday until 1972—58 years AFTER  Mother's Day was made official. Dads have long been a...

Evil Witch Claire Zulkey on Life as a Boy Mom from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.166702

"Boy mom" Claire Zulkey is the only female in her family. (Yes, the family dogs are male too.) She's also a self-described "evil witch" & creator of Evil Witches newsletter...

You-ology: Puberty for Every Body from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.163391

Puberty happens to every body - and boys need to know how puberty affects bodies and brains. You-ology: A Puberty Guide for EVERY Body, by Dr. Trish Hutchison, Dr. Kathryn Lowe, & Dr. Melissa ...

Highly Sensitive People Can Thrive from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.159860

Highly sensitive people -- boys & parents alike -- are prone to overwhelm.  They're also likely to be misunderstood (and, perhaps, misdirected) by parents, teachers, coaches, and others. ...

Kate Mangino on Teaching Boys to be Equal Partners from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.156428

Kate Mangino is right: “The last thing any working parent needs is to add ‘solve gender inequality’ to their to-do list.”  But if we don't think about gender inequality in the home, we might e...

Helping Boys Thrive (w Dr. Sandy Gluckman) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.152981

Stress and trauma can make it difficult for boys to thrive. Counseling, chiropractic care, socio-emotional learning, and other child-focused interventions may help, but only to a certain degree. F...

Helping Boys with Executive Function Challenges from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.149353

You might not even realize you have a boy with executive function challenges. Instead, you (or others) might think he's "disorganized," "lazy," "resistant," or "unm...

Sexual Abuse Affects Boys Too from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.145803

Sexual abuse affects boys and men too. 1 in 6 boys will be a victim of sexual abuse before the age of 18. But, in part due to lingering shame and stigmas, many victims don’t disclose the abuse unt...

Positive Parenting Solutions with Amy McCready from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.141777

Positive parenting is more pleasant - and more effective than control-oriented parenting styles, says Amy McCready.

Amy is a recovering yeller, mom of two grown sons, founder of Positive P...

Deborah Farmer Discusses Emotional Literacy (&Awe!) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.137922

Deborah Farmer Kris is a child development expert, author, and former educator -- and she still finds raising kids a challenge! "None of us are slot machines," she says. "It's not ...

Empowering Boys to Challenge Rape Culture from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.134165

Empowering boys to challenge rape culture is one way we can decrease sexual violence, says Gordon Braxton, an anti-violence educator and activist who formerly served as the Director of Men’s Outrea...

Michael Gurian on Raising Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.124505

When Michael Gurian published The Wonder of Boys in 1996, there "wasn't any national consciousness about boys' issues," he says. A quarter century later, there are dozens of books ...

Braden Bell Explains Middle School Boys from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.122316

Middle school boys may seem messy and mysterious, but they're also entertaining, challenging, and inspiring, says Braden Bell. The middle school years are "a wonderful, magical moment,"...

Step in or Step Back? from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.119929

Independence is good for kids.  Helicopter parenting is bad for kids. But figuring out when to step in or step back...well, that's a challenge! When another boy punched her 11 year old son i...

Gender Equality, Boys and Men from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.117838

Doing more for boys and men does not require an abandonment of the ideal of gender equality. In fact, it is a natural extension of that. -- Richard V. Reeves Those words are from a new book Of Boy...

Parenting Through Health Challenges from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.115259

Parenting inevitably includes health challenges. Kids get sick. Parents get sick. And injuries and accidents happen more often than we'd like. Learning how to manage a medical diagnosis -- and...

Holding the Calm with Hesha Abrams from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.111933

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"...

Parenting, Privilege,&Building a Just World from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.108899

We want to build boys -- AND a just world. It's easy to be overwhelmed by seemingly insurmountable challenges, and tempting to not take action on big societal issues like inequity because, wel...

Listener Q&A: Boy Communication, Socialization,&Girl Power from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.106794

Why do boys....? Bringing up boys brings up all kinds of questions! Jen & Janet have answers. Photo by Pixabay Tamara asks: Why do boys communicate through physical touch/aggression and use ...

Coffee with Jen&Janet from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.104282

What does Janet's 8-month-old grandson have in common with a bunch of guys throwing darts at each other in a dark basement? A fascination with objects moving through space -- a nearly univer...

Building Boys’ Reading and Literacy Skills from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.101785

Reading and literacy are important life skills. But many boys struggle with reading and writing -- and resist parents' and teachers' well-intended efforts to help them.

Lots of boy...

Dads Matter (w Marion Hill) from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.098859

Dads matter. 

Men matter. 

To become their best, boys need involved dads and male teachers, coaches, & mentors. 

But when Marion Hill began working in earl...

Parenting Teenage Boys with Lee Bare from 2023-12-12T15:53:22.096227

Parenting teenage boys is a challenge. And an opportunity.

In some ways, says child and adolescent psychologist Lee Bare, parenting a teenage boy is like parenting a newbo...

Dads Matter (w Marion Hill) from 2023-11-30T13:49:07.579852

Dads matter. 

Men matter. 

To become their best, boys need involved dads and male teachers, coaches, & mentors. 

But when Marion Hill began working in earl...

Fostering Gratitude in Boys from 2023-11-30T13:49:07.573835

Fostering gratitude in our boys can help them navigate the inevitable ups and downs of life.

And despite what you may think, it is possible to foster an attitude of gratit...

Andrew Reiner: Building Boys'Mental Health&Resiliency from 2023-11-30T13:49:07.570720

Andrew Reiner says it’s essential to spend time nurturing boys’ mental health & resiliency.

As a college professor, Reiner sees what happens when boys aren’t taught re...

Maggie Dent on How to Motivate Boys from 2023-11-30T13:49:07.567514

Want to know how to motivate boys?

Toss out your outdated beliefs about boys and men, says Maggie Dent, Australia's "boy champion" and author of Listen

Youth Sports Linda Flanagan from 2023-11-30T13:49:07.561976

Linda Flanagan says youth sports are out of control. Listen