In April, we talked about vaping, living with & talking to boys on On Boys podcast. We also talked about learning to trust yourself as a parent. And now that I think about, those seemingly diverse topics have more in common than we first realized…
Hear me out. A solid base of reliable information and facts gives us confidence in our parenting decisions; when we know our decisions are based on solid science and decades (if not centuries) of parenting wisdom, we can be pretty sure that our “instincts” are accurate and helpful. And if we hope to have meaningful conversations with our boys, we must first understand them and their world. We need to know (and respect) what they value and how they think, so we can adapt our conversation to the unique needs of the unique human beings before us.
Learning how other parents handle challenging situations has always been helpful to me, and this month, On Boys features 3 guests — each of them, a parent of boys. Check it out:
Vaping & E-Cigarette Use: What Parents Need to Know (Apr. 4 episode):
Nearly 1 in 3 high school seniors tried vaping in the last year. Middle schoolers are vaping too. According to the Centers for Disease Control, e-cigarette use among middle school students increased by 48% between 2017 and 2018. Now, nearly 5% of middle school students in the United States vape on a regular basis. In this episode, we talk with Renee, a mom of twin teenage boys who vape. (Be sure to check out the show notes — they’re packed w lots of helpful resources!)
Learning to Live with Boys (w Katy Rank Lev) (Apr. 11 episode)
Katy Rank Lev is the mom of 3 boys, including one whose on the autism spectrum. Like many “boy moms,” Katy isn’t always sure what’s acceptable behavior and what must be nipped in the bud. In this episode, she shares how On Boys podcast helps validate her instincts — and shares an adorable story about her boys’ efforts to dismantle a dresser. This one is a must-listen if you have young boys at home!
How to Talk to Your Son — So He Will Want to Talk to You (Apr. 18 episode)
As a parent, you can’t make your son talk — but there’s a lot you can do to set the stage. In this episode, Jen introduces the T.A.L.K. approach to conversation and Janet introduces a big word: psychogeography. If you’re frustrated by your son’s silence or single-syllable answers, this episode is for you.
Trust Yourself Mama (w Kelly Goodwin) (April 25 episode)
Parents today have instantaneous access to more parenting information than our grandparents could have ever envisioned. But all of that information can be a bit overwhelming. Boy mom extraordinaire Kelly Goodwin (she has 5 boys!) reminds us that we parents know our kids better than anyone.
Coming next month on On Boys: A conversation with Michael Reichert, author of How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Build Good Men; How to Help Boys Deal with Negative Stereotypes; and a listener Q & A! (Got a question you’d like use to tackle? Leave it in the comments below!)
