Hi Readers! Talk To Your Boys, the new book from me and , has been out for a week now. It’s one of Amazon’s Best Books of September, one of Kobo’s Best Books Of The Month, and SlowChatHealth's September Book Of The Month. If you don’t have a copy yet, pick one up from your favorite local bookstore, or order it from B&N, Bookshop.org, Amazon, Libro, or Audible.
This week, I’ll be sharing some of the conversations and media coverage the book is generating. Today, I’m featuring a TV piece from CNN and an accompanying written interview I did with Don Riddell.
Thanks for checking them out! — Christopher
Having Difficult Talks With Your Son Should Happen Sooner Than You Might Think, Expert Says
By Don Riddell: I’ve loved every second of being a dad to twin boys, but parenting is a responsibility that comes with multiple challenges. Since my sons have just left for college, I’m now reflecting on the job my wife and I have done and how much more work might still be ahead.
Some challenges we faced were brand-new: This is the first generation that has had to navigate the advent of social media, with a pandemic lockdown thrown in for good measure. A job that was already difficult for parents of adolescent boys now seems to be even harder.
An increasing number of boys are lonely, isolated and confused, wrestling with the aftermath of the #MeToo movement and the expectations of rigid masculinity, which has been widely characterized as toxic. Many have either lost or never had the ability to express themselves in a constructive way.
Middle and high school educator
and coauthor Schroeder hope their new book, Talk to Your Boys: 16 Conversations to Help Tweens and Teens Grow Into Confident, Caring Young Men will provide families with the tools to help.I spoke with Pepper, who has helped coordinate Young Men’s Health Groups in San Francisco, to learn how parents can steer their sons through minefields like screen time and technology, pornography, consent, and alcohol and substance use. He has discovered that despite their awkward stereotype, teenage boys really do want a chance to connect.
CNN: Teenage boys have always had a reputation for being grumpy and hard to reach. What’s different now?
Christopher Pepper: A big change is the introduction of phones and how much space phones and video games take up now in the lives of teenagers. We’ve seen a decrease in in-person hangout time. We’ve seen a decrease in dating. And largely that is replaced with people on devices or on video games. You miss out on a lot when you’re not in person with other people.
CNN: How do you know that parents are struggling?
Pepper: Every time I do a talk about boys, there’s a line of people with questions afterward. And they’re often very personal. People are concerned. We’ve seen that concern come up with boys who are connecting with charismatic figures online. Sometimes, those charismatic figures online are trying to sell them things or have a message that is not very prosocial. READ THE REST AT CNN.COM
Recent Teen Health Today Highlights:
Teachers Spend A Staggering Amount Buying School Supplies
Find out just how much teachers pay for classroom supplies PLUS: How AI is changing the role of parents, and why some boys are 'testosterone maxxing'How To Raise Confident, Caring Boys
Three interviews explore how to stay close to the boys in your life
TikTok Videos About The Pill Prompt Alarm
Some doctors worry about social media's messages about birth control. PLUS: Why American kids are less likely to make it to adulthood than peers in other countries
What Makes A "Good Dad" Today?
A new video series explores the joys and pressures of modern fatherhood
13-Year-Old: ‘Everything I Learned About Suicide, I Learned On Instagram.’
Is social media encouraging teens to take their own lives? PLUS: How the U.S. government is trying to access trans teens' private medical data.
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Exciting!!
Thank you for opening this important conversation. The way you spoke about giving boys space to express their emotions and encouraging parents to be curious instead of judgmental really stands out.