Boys and Cell Phones
Does your son have a cell phone? What are his favorite features? According to a 2010 study, boys are more likely than girls to use their cell phones for purposes other than communication. Boys are more likely to play music, share pictures, check email and
Boys and Bedwetting
Did you know that Michael Landon, Vince Vaughn and Mark McGwire were all bedwetters? I didn’t, until I read, “Bedwetting: Here’s Help,” by fellow parenting writer Kathy Sena. I did, however, know — from personal experience — that bedwetting can be a frustrating situation for
Should Long Hair Keep a Boy Out of School?
The Mesquite Independent School District in Texas thinks so. By now, you may have heard the story of four-year-old Taylor Pugh, a pre-kindergartener whose hair covers his eyes and sweeps his collar, in direct violation of the school district’s dress code. Of course, Taylor didn’t
Positive Parenting
I’d had it with my boys’ bickering. At lunch, I read a passage from Matthew 5: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.’ But I tell you that
Compassion
Our oldest cat, Dusty, is dying. Not in some theoretical, we’re-all-going-to-die-someday kind of way, but actively dying. Dusty is currently laying on his side on the bathroom rug, laboring to breathe. Beside him is a nine-year-old boy who brought his pillow and blanket into the
What Do Your Boys Know About Sex?
According to a recent survey, the answer most likely is “not enough.” Researchers from Rand Corp., Virginia Commonwealth University and Children’s Hospital Boston surveyed 141 parents and their teens, ages 13 – 17. Sadly, many of teens — and most of the boys — had
Does Physical Fitness Make You Smarter?
Maybe, says a new Swedish study. The study examined 1.2 million Swedish men born between 1950 and 1976. It tracked the boys (then men) over time, looking at physical fitness, intellectual ability and life success, while controlling for things like heredity and family influences. Researchers
The Tag Jr. Winner Is….
Owen’s Mom! Owen, I believe you might be getting a Tag Jr. Reading bundle this holiday season. Owen and his mom enjoy reading The Little Red Caboose, which is one of my favorite books too. My boys love it, and so did my brothers, especially
Boys Can Dance Ballet Too
What if your son told you he wanted to dance? Not hip-hop, not jazz, not even ballroom — ballet. What would you say? More importantly, what would you think? Ballet remains, in most people’s minds, a girl thing. And because of that, most professional male
Setting Boundaries
Joyce Grant, of Getting Kids Reading, had a great post about why boys don’t like school. She also wrote about boundaries. I love point # 7: Boys understand boundaries. Instead of saying, “no throwing snowballs,” make some boundaries. “Snowball throwing within this area only.” Boys get