Raising Sons

Boys will be Boys? Tips for Raising Confident, Responsible Men

Designed for: Parents and guardians of boys

How can I raise a boy in this culture who is both caring and sensitive, but also able to defend himself and act like a man?

A great deal of emphasis in recent years has focused on how to improve self-esteem in girls, and how to counteract the effects of a sexist and stereotyped society on the development of girls and women. Male development has often been left out of the discussion, even though the gender stereotypes and sexist cultural messages that have had such a negative impact on girls have also been detrimental to boys.

This workshop is designed to help parents understand the developmental needs of boys and to learn communication strategies to help young men develop strong values, confidence and healthy decision-making skills. Teaching about healthy and unhealthy relationships will be one focus of the discussion.

Our goals are to help parents and guardians:

• Understand the impact of societal messages on male emotional, social, and sexual development
• Develop strategies for communicating with boys and providing guidance for addressing pressures and stereotypes that affect boys and men
• Explore the roles of both mothers and fathers in raising sons

Average length of program: 90 minutes

Recommended number of participants: 20-100