It’s not easy being a man today. In Rethinking Manhood: The New Feminist Project?, author Tom Matlack writes about the need to re-invent masculinity. “The most macho thing in the world is to be a loving father. To be a faithful husband. To put food on the table,” Matlack writes. “Even more macho is to come clean about how hard it is to try to try to be all those things at the same time. Women have been doing for fifty years. Now it’s our turn.”
Of course, being a hands-on parent of either sex isn’t easy. An Ordinary Mom gives some great tips for handling the witching hour in Working the Swing Shift.
If you’re ready for something deeper and darker, check out “Boys Will Be Boys”: The Connection Between a Sex League Scandal and a Domestic Violence Murder. It seems a group of teenage boys out East had a competition of sorts, where they gained points for sexual activities with females. As heinous as they actions were, the rationalization some adults used to excuse the boys’ behavior — boys will be boys — is even worse.
Finally, check out Unschooling Changed Us All Around, by Andrea at Say YES 2 Boys. Andrea has just completed year two as a homeschooling mom and like most homeschooling parents, she’s grown in ways she never would have imagined.
4 Responses
Thanks for the shout out 🙂 !! I am excited to peruse your blog and learn more about raising boys!
I discovered this blog because you linked to Tom Matlack’s “New Feminist Project”, and I was so glad to find a blog talking about boys and the issues around raising them. Thanks! I work with Tom on The Good Men Project — we just launched an online magazine that has a section all about boys. We’re also putting together a second book with teenage boys essays. Am excited to learn more what you are doing, here — such an important thing to be talking about!
I can’t tell you the feeling of joy I have when I find myself mentioned in your blog! Thanks, you made my day. I am honored to be mentioned with all these serious writers, because serious is not one of my strong points!!!
The Good Men Project = some good reading!
Andrea,you absolutely deserve to be mentioned with the rest. Your unschooling post eloquently expressed things I’ve never been able to put into words.