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, whether you've got a toddler throwing a temper tantrum or a teenager on a rampage. But learning to respond to boys' anger with love and patience is one of the best gifts we can give to our guys.

In this episode, Jen & Janet discuss:

* How the "boy code" subtly encourages anger

* The biology of anger

* Techniques parents & teachers can use to manage boys' angry outburts

* The link between anger, aggression and violence (SPOILER ALERT: anger doesn't inevitably lead to violence)

Links we mentioned (and more!) in Episode 104:

Masterminds and Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World, by Rosalind Wiseman

Boy Talk: How You Can Help Your Son Express His Emotions by Mary Polce-Lynch

Tips on Dealing with Anger -- From a 7-Year-Old Boy by Jennifer LW Fink

He Is So Angry! by Janet Allison

Teenage Angst, or Something More Serious? by Jennifer LW Fink

SPECIAL NOTE:

CLICK HERE for free access to Janet's 75-minute audio file - Learning Lab: Boys and Anger with a bonus pdf on "The Boy Code and Anger."

Because you asked...you can WATCH the uncut version of this podcast on YouTube.