ON BOYS Podcast

ON BOYS Podcast episodes:

• 04.18.2024

  Advocating for Boys

  Advocating for boys is one way to help boys and men thrive. At present, there are no governmental commissions working on behalf of boys and men in the United States. Not at the federal level & not at the state...

  
• 04.11.2024

  Gifted & Twice-Exceptional (2E) Boys

  Gifted & twice-exceptional boys often struggle in school, despite their intelligence & talents. In fact, boys who are gifted or twice-exceptional (which means they are gifted & have a learning disability) are considered “problem kids.” Teachers (and other adults) may...

  
• 04.04.2024

  Real Talk About Fentanyl, Opioids, & Marijuana

  Like it or not, fentanyl, other opioids, and marijuana are part of our boys’ world. “It is very easy to get drugs on social media,” says Michelle Leopold, a mother who’s son, Trevor, died after taking a pill he purchase...

  
• 03.28.2024

  50/50 Shared Parenting

  50/50 shared parenting is good for boys & good for parents.  But it’s not yet the norm, despite decades of research demonstrating the value of shared parenting. “It’s one part sexism and one part misunderstanding of the latest social science...

  
• 03.21.2024

  Marc Hauser on Building Resilience

  Building boys’ resilience can help them thrive, says Marc Hauser.  Even if they’ve experienced a lot of adversity. “Adversity experienced by children is not a rare event, but a relatively common event,” says Marc, author of Vulnerable Minds: The Harms of...

  
• 03.14.2024

  How to Raise a Healthy Gamer

  Yes, it’s possible to raise a healthy gamer. Even in a world saturated with video games. Fighting about video games, however, isn’t helpful, says Alok Kanojia (aka Dr. K), author of How to Raise a Healthy Gamer: End Power Struggles, Break Bad...

  
• 03.07.2024

  Listener Q & A: Getting Curious & Motivating Boys

  How, exactly, does one “get curious” about their son without badgering him? That’s a big, important question, and that’s exactly what Jennifer wants to know:Lately, as he is resisting my normal questioning…I feel like I am now pushing him to...

  
• 02.29.2024

  Debt Free Mom Discusses Family Finances

  “Debt Free Mom” (aka Carly Hill) knows that family finances can be a fraught topic. Yet family finances affect every aspect of family life: A family’s stress level, as well as housing, education, and recreational choices. Family finances play into...

  
• 02.22.2024

  Maggie Dent: Build Up Dads to Benefit Boys

  Many Dads want to “step up with their hearts” and “actively parent,” says Maggie Dent, Australian parenting author and host of The Good Enough Dad and Parental As Anything podcasts.  “They want to know how to do it well,” she says, noting that most dads have...

  
• 02.15.2024

  Jaclyn Greenberg on Parenting a Disabled Son

  Jaclyn Greenberg often feels like she’s living a divided life. When her daughter was born, there was music and laughter in the birthing room. When her disabled son was born, there was no music. No laughter. In fact, everyone swept...

  
• 02.09.2024

  Middle School: Misunderstood or Magic?

  Is middle school misunderstood — or magic? For most of us — and many of our kids — middle school is a pretty miserable time. But that’s largely because most educators and parents misunderstand middle schoolers & these critical years....

  
• 02.01.2024

  Needed: Boy-Friendly Schools

  Most schools today aren’t boy-friendly.  That’s one (big!) reason why boys lag behind girls academically. And why so many boys hate going to school.  Tyler, a 16-year-old Texas boy, started struggling in middle school. Recess was no more. Classes were...

  
• 01.25.2024

  Modern Male Puberty is Awkward

  Modern male puberty starts earlier than you think. It may start as early as age 9 in boys – which means that the mood swings you’re seeing in your 10-year-old son could well be puberty-related. After all, as Cara Natterson & Vanessa Kroll...

  
• 01.18.2024

  Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) & Muscle Dysmorphia

  There’s a connection between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) & muscle dysmorphia, which is a strong desire to bulk up your body. According to new research by Kyle Ganson, an assistant professor in Canada & a licensed clinical social worker who’s worked...

  
• 01.11.2024

  Set Boys Up for School Success

  How can boys experience school success?  Parents and educators frequently ask, “How do we help boys thrive in school?” A question we rarely ask is, What can boys do to set themselves up for school success? What can we do to help...

  
• 01.04.2024

  Color Blindness in Boys

  Color blindness affects a lot of boys. In fact, 1 in 12 males are color blind. They perceive color differently than most humans. Some see shades of tan instead of vivid reds and greens. Some see life in black, white, and...

  
• 12.28.2023

  Best of 2023

  Which ON BOYS episodes were the Best of 2023?  Photo by Photo by Engin Akyurt via Pexels Your favorites include: 5. Simplicity Parenting with Kim John PayneSimplicity parenting prioritizes a balanced schedule, predictable rhythm, and decluttered, information-filtered family environment…The antidote...

  
• 12.21.2023

  ON BOYS Most Popular Episode of 2023

  Our January 5 conversation with Mary Van Geffen, Parenting “Spicy” Boys, is ON BOYS’ Most Popular Episode of 2023. (And Jen’s sons’ least favorite! Gen Z defines “spicy” quite differently than we’re using it here.) Sure, this episode, released early in the...

  
• 12.14.2023

  YouTube, Misogyny, & Racism

  YouTube isn’t all entertainment and education. Misogyny, racism, and porn lurk there too. It can be really difficult to keep up with what our boys are watching online, though. Creators come & go, interests change, one click can lead to,...

  
• 12.07.2023

  America’s Marriage Coach Shares Relationship Advice

  America’s marriage coach, Dr. Jacquie Del Rosario, says nature and nurture affect our relationships. Moms are concerned with a lot of things at once; Dads tend to focus on one thing at a time. Many moms derive a sense of security from...

  
• 11.30.2023

  Sex Ed for Neurodiverse Kids

  Neurodiverse kids need comprehensive sex education too. “It’s a fundamental human right to have this information – & so important to their health & safety,” says Amy Lang, creator of Birds + Bees + Kids, a fantastic resource for parents, childcare...

  
• 11.23.2023

  Christopher Pepper Discusses Health Education and Boys

  Health education varies greatly from place to place. Some boys receive great, age-appropriate, inclusive health education at school. Others do not. “It’s pretty inconsistent,” says Christopher Pepper, a health educator who currently teaches in the San Francisco Unified School District & is working...

  
• 11.16.2023

  Listener Q & A: Punishment, Teenage Boys, & Letting Go

  How do you make space for a teenage boy to make his own mistakes? Photo by olia danilevich via Pexels Especially when said teenager is frustrating, annoying, and contributing to family chaos? Sandra said:Teenager years are frustrating — wanting...

  
• 11.10.2023

  Autonomy-Supportive Parenting

  Have you heard of autonomy-supportive parenting?  Essentially, it’s the opposite of helicopter parenting. It’s a parenting style that allows, supports, and encourages kids to make decisions and take action. And unlike helicopter parenting, which demands near-constant parental activity, autonomy-supportive parenting...

  
• 11.02.2023

  AnneMoss Rogers on Suicide Prevention & Struggling Teens

  If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you can call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for help in the United States. Call 988 or 800-273-TALK (8255). The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is open 24 hours a day, every day....

  
• 10.26.2023

  Supporting LGBTQ+ Kids

  Supporting LGBTQ+ kids helps them become healthy adults. Jo Langford is a father, therapist, and author of The Pride Guide: A Guide to Social and Sexual health for LGBTQ Youth and Spare Me “The Talk!” (for both boy-identified and girl-identified youth). He helps kids and...

  
• 10.19.2023

  Parenting for Gender Equity

  Gender equity begins at home. Policies matter, of course, but not as much as parenting. Think about that for a moment.  Parents need to think & talk about gender stereotypes and expectations because those stereotypes and expectations affect our parenting,...

  
• 10.12.2023

  Dr. Friendtastic on Boys & Friendship

  Boys are twice as likely as girls to be friendless in middle school. And by adulthood, 1 in 5 men say they don’t have any close friends. Friendship matters for guys too – but clearly, boys face some unique challenges. “Boys...

  
• 10.05.2023

  Parenting Beyond Power with Jen Lumanlan

  Jen Lumanlan, author of Parenting Beyond Power: How to Use Connection & Collaboration to Transform Your Family, believes there’s a direct link between parenting and social justice. “The way that we raise our children — the daily interactions that we have...

  
• 09.28.2023

  Devorah Heitner on Growing Up in Public

  Our boys are growing up in public. Between social media, online monitoring, and geo-tracking, our kids’ lives are public in a way ours never were when we were young. Helping kids manage this digital landscape can be a challenge for...

  
• 09.21.2023

  Calm the Chaos: Parenting Challenging Kids

  How do you calm the chaos in your household? Big emotions, power struggles, and challenging behaviors can create (& feed!) chaos, affecting the entire family. And it’s next to impossible for anyone to operate at their best in a constant...

  
• 09.14.2023

  Lisa Damour on The Emotional Lives of Teens

  Dr. Lisa Damour is our go-to expert regarding the emotional lives of teens.  She is a psychologist & author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents, and although her previous two books were a deep dive into...

  
• 09.07.2023

  Parenting During Crisis & Catastrophe

  Crisis and catastrophe no longer seem so rare. There were 51 school shootings that resulted in injury or death in 2022. Wildfires are destroying communities and affecting air quality. Hurricanes, heat, infectious disease (malaria is back in the U.S &...

  
• 08.31.2023

  Masculinity, Fatherhood, & Man Up

  What do college students think about masculinity? About fatherhood? About the trauma & violence faced by men in society? Kevin Roy, a family science professor at the University of Maryland (& father of 3 sons), encourages his students to discuss these topics...

  
• 08.17.2023

  Melinda Wenner Moyer: Raising Boys Who Aren’t Assholes

  You don’t want to raise an asshole.  None of us do! Melinda Wenner Moyer, a science journalist, author, and mom of two, says that science can show us the way. In 2021, she published How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes: Science-Based...

  
• 08.17.2023

  Boys, Babies, & Breastfeeding

  What do boys need to know about birth, babies, and breastfeeding?  A lot more than we’re currently teaching them. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), 83.2% infants born in 2019 (the last year for which...

  
• 08.10.2023

  Raising Empowered Athletes w Kirsten Jones

  Raising Empowered Athletes, by former D1 athlete Kirsten Jones, is the book parents need to navigate today’s youth sports culture. Kids do not need to begin formal sports instruction in preschool, and they don’t need to specialize in a single sport in...

  
• 08.03.2023

  Phyllis Fagell Discusses Middle School Superpowers

  Middle school students are “superheroes in the making,” says Phyllis Fagell, a school counselor, mom, and author of Middle School Superpowers: Raising Resilient Tweens in Turbulent Times. If that sounds crazy to you, consider this: middle schoolers and superheroes “both get catapulted...

  
• 07.27.2023

  Body Image, Eating Disorders, & Boys

  Body image concerns and eating disorders affect boys too.  As many as 75% of adolescent boys are dissatisfied with their bodies. 3% are now using steroids in an attempt to alter their bodies, 7% use supplements, and a 2019 study...

  
• 07.20.2023

  How to Be an Unflustered Mom

  Yes, you can be an unflustered mom. Identifying your anxiety style is the first step, says Amber Trueblood, a mom of four boys (currently ages 10, 12, 14, & 15) and author of The Unflustered Mom: How Understanding the Five Anxiety...

  
• 07.13.2023

  Managing Medical Expenses

  Medical expenses are a part of life.  (Particularly if you live in the United States!) Figuring out how to budget and pay for well-child checks, sports physicals, ER and urgent care visits, and recommended screenings is confusing and overwhelming. Health insurance...

  
• 07.06.2023

  Why Now is the Best Time to Raise Boys (w Michael Reichert)

  Now is the best time to raise boys, says psychologist Michael Reichert, founding director of the Center for the Study of Boys’ & Girls’ Lives, author of How to Raise a Boy, and co-author of Equimundo’s recent State of American Men report.  It doesn’t feel that way to...

  
• 06.29.2023

  Sue Atkins Tackles Common Parenting Questions

  Sue Atkins encourages parents to slow down, relax, & learn from their children. “We are rushing through life,” says the UK parenting guru.. “We rush everything — we rush our children to eat their breakfast, to do their shoes up,...

  
• 06.22.2023

  “Whole Child, Whole Life” w Stephanie Malia Krauss

  The Whole Child, Whole Life approach can help kids thrive. Stephanie Malia Krauss, a mom of two boys and an author with a background in education and social work, wrote Whole Child, Whole life: 10 Ways to Help Kids Live, Learn,...

  
• 06.15.2023

  Nonverbal Communication with Boys

  Want to connect with boys? Pay attention to your nonverbal communication. Tone of voice, body language, facial expressions, and even our breathing influence the perception of our words and messages, says Michael Grinder, who’s known as the “father of nonverbal communication....

  
• 06.08.2023

  Gemma Gaudette Talks About Raising Boys

  Gemma Gaudette says “we don’t give boys enough credit.” Gemma, host of Idaho Matters & a mom of two sons (currently ages 11 & 15), knows (from personal experience!) that boys can be dramatic & sensitive, even though society has coded those...

  
• 06.01.2023

  Advanced Parenting with Dr. Kelly Fradin

  Advanced parenting may involve guiding a child through a mental health crisis. Or parenting a child with a chronic medical condition. Or both. It’s what parents must do when a child’s needs go beyond basic feeding, sheltering, loving, and nurturing. As...

  
• 05.25.2023

  Puberty, Perimenopause, & Midlife Parenting

  Midlife parenting often means navigating puberty and perimenopause at the same time. The average age of first parenthood has increased in recent years, so many moms now find themselves going thru perimenopause around the same time their kids hit puberty, according to...

  
• 05.18.2023

  What Middle School Boys Need

  Middle school — and ages 11 to 14 — is “a time like no other!” It’s a time when significant biological, neurological and emotional changes are happening simultaneously. Middle school boys can be a confusing mix. They want to be...

  
• 05.11.2023

  Celebrating Moms on Mother’s Day

  Mother’s Day is a day to honor the sacrifices mothers make for their children. At least, that was the intent of Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother’s Day in the United States This year, we’re also celebrating the many ways in which mothering...