How to Raise a Boy: A Conversation with Psychologist and Author Dr. Michael Reichert about the Power of Connection to Build Good Men

Mom Enough: Parenting tips, research-based advice + a few personal confessions!

Mom Enough co-hosts Marti & Erin found this discussion on raising boys with Dr. Michael Reichert to be one of the most thoughtful and important episodes they have done. Drawing on his personal story of the death of his brother, his extensive research on boys around the world and his years of clinical experience with boys longing to be heard, this psychologist and highly respected author makes the case that, in his words, “Too many boys lose their intimate connections and emotional voices early in their lives.” But it doesn’t have to be that way, and Dr. Reichert offers practical guidance whether you are the parent of a lively preschooler, a 5th-grader trying to succeed in school or a teenager trying to navigate the turbulent waters of romance and sexuality or grappling with disturbing pornographic images on the internet. BOYS AND GIRLS ARE NOT AS DIFFERENT AS WE SOMETIMES THINK. If you listen carefully, you are likely to discover that boys and girls are not as different as we sometimes think. We all long for trust, respect, connection. We all long for our needs and feelings to be heard and acknowledged. And when we provide those things to both our sons and daughters, the world will be better for the men and women they become. REFLECT ON HOW YOU WILL BEGIN RAISING BOYS DIFFERENTLY. This week’s Mom Enough guest, Dr. Michael Reichert, says in this discussion, “The problem is not boys, but the boyhood we have built.” What examples can you think of that illustrate this point? What concrete steps could you take to begin to build a better boyhood for the boys in your life, whatever their ages? What one thing will you change in how you are raising your son(s), so they will grow up to be compassionate and caring adults? WANT TO LEARN MORE? ❉ Check out Dr. Reichert's book, How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Build Good Men, to learn more about raising boys. ❉ Helping Our Children Build Self-Compassion: Keys to Kindness, Gratitude and Compassion for Others, click here. ❉ Cut to the Quick: The Consequences of Relational Aggression Among Our Sons & Daughters, click here.