Do you know what emotional intelligence is and why it’s important? Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and respond to emotions (yours, and others’) in healthy, productive ways. You’ve likely already noticed both high and low levels of emotional intelligence in action. Think about
Ask them, “What do you think about the words, ‘rape culture?’” Then listen. Listen to what they say and to what they express. Listen for the silences and hesitation. Listen past the defensiveness. Bite your own tongue, if you must, but instead of building a
I hear so many parents of boys complain that their boys are lazy and unmotivated. So many parents and educators who tell me that the boys in their life lack drive, persistence and enthusiasm. These parents and educators are worried because they know that success
The headline — Boys should be treated “more like girls” to stop them falling behind at school — was enough to make me scream. The thinking behind it moved me to action and inspired me to write this post. If you’ve followed BuildingBoys for awhile, you know
A note from Jennifer: A week ago, in light of the shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and 5 Dallas police officers, I re-shared my 2014 post, Why We Need To Worry About Black Boys. The response was generally positive, but I got
You likely know how important reading during the summer is to help students from experiencing the documented “summer slide.” But, actually getting your kids – especially boys – to read can be a challenge. As the mom of two boys, ages 9 and 11, whose
Boys and girls are different, biologically and socially. Yet despite the fact that most people know and accept that fact as, well, fact, one of the biggest mistakes we humans make is to assume that others are like us — and to assume, when we
I love talking about boys & education. So when Evan Hanson, a father, writer and marriage and family therapist, invited me to participate in his new podcast series, 936 Weeks to Manhood, I eagerly accepted. I’m so glad I did. Evan is smart and witty and clearly
Boys are now much more likely than girls to drop out of college. According to a recent Lifezette article, Over the past decade, about 30 percent of young men have dropped out of college during their freshman year…For those who stayed, 38 percent completed their
I’ve had HPV. HPV caused precancerous changes on my cervix, changes which did not resolve spontaneously over time and ultimately required surgical removal. That procedure scarred my cervix, as removal of tissue always does, which led to a much longer and more uncomfortable birth when
Being able to communicate/share is one thing. Having confidence that the adult recipient will handle the message properly is another. — Robert Brown I grew up in a home where communications were never a millimeter deeper than pure surface, transactional messaging. “I love you;” “How
I’ll admit it: my kids’ screen time likely veers far closer to the “spends 8 hours a day with screens” category than to the “2 hours or less” recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. I’ll also admit this: I’m not overly worried about their
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