Category Archives: Parenting

Step in or Step Back?



Independence is good for kids.  Helicopter parenting is bad for kids. But figuring out when to step in or step back…well, that’s a challenge! When another boy punched her 11 year old son in the face during hockey practice, writer and “boy mom” Caren Chesler acted immediately. “I had one leg over the half-wall and … Continue reading Step in or Step Back?


Braden Bell Explains Middle School Boys



Middle school boys may seem messy and mysterious, but they’re also entertaining, challenging, and inspiring, says Braden Bell. The middle school years are “a wonderful, magical moment,” says Bell, an experienced educator, father, and grandfather. “It’s important to keep in mind that we are not raising 6th graders, we are not raising 7th graders — … Continue reading Braden Bell Explains Middle School Boys


Deborah Farmer Discusses Emotional Literacy (& Awe!)



Deborah Farmer Kris is a child development expert, author, and former educator — and she still finds raising kids a challenge! “None of us are slot machines,” she says. “It’s not like you put in this language and out pops a child who says ‘yes, mother.’” Parenting, Kris says, is humbling, partly because “there’s not … Continue reading Deborah Farmer Discusses Emotional Literacy (& Awe!)


Positive Parenting Solutions with Amy McCready



Positive parenting is more pleasant – and more effective than control-oriented parenting styles, says Amy McCready. Amy is a recovering yeller, mom of two grown sons, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions, and the author of The Me, Me, Me Epidemic: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Capable, Grateful Kids in an Over-Entitled World and If I … Continue reading Positive Parenting Solutions with Amy McCready


Evil Witch Claire Zulkey on Life as a Boy Mom



“Boy mom” Claire Zulkey is the only female in her family. (Yes, the family dogs are male too.) She’s also a self-described “evil witch” & creator of Evil Witches newsletter, a fantastic community and newsletter for people who happen to be mothers and know that you can love and loathe your kids at the same … Continue reading Evil Witch Claire Zulkey on Life as a Boy Mom


Honoring Dads on Father’s Day (& Always)



Father’s Day here in America was first celebrated on June 19, 1910. It wasn’t declared an official holiday until 1972—58 years AFTER  Mother’s Day was made official. Dads have long been assumed to be secondary parents, at best. But popular and persistent stereotypes of fatherhood — though perhaps grounded in some truth — don’t accurately … Continue reading Honoring Dads on Father’s Day (& Always)


Dads, Boys, & Masculinity



Dads need to help boys understand and shape masculinity. In years past, fathers were often “there, but not there,” according to Craig Wilkinson, a dad of two and founder of Father a Nation, a South African nonprofit that addresses gender-based violence, crime and fatherlessness by restoring and equipping  men to be nation-builders, fathers and role … Continue reading Dads, Boys, & Masculinity


Myths & Misconceptions About Boys



How many of these myths & misconceptions about boys have you heard? How many do you believe? “Boys are easier than girls.” “Boys are less emotional than girls.” “Boys leave their families when they grow up.” “With boys, you don’t have to fight over clothing choices.” “There’s less to worry about with a son than … Continue reading Myths & Misconceptions About Boys


Brain-Body Parenting with Dr. Mona Delahooke



Brain-body parenting can help you raise joyful, resilient boys, says Dr. Mona Delahooke. Boys’ behavior offers clues as to what’s going on inside the child — and deciphering what’s happening internally can help us tailor our response to the unique human individual before us. It’s time to  “move from focusing on behaviors to focusing on … Continue reading Brain-Body Parenting with Dr. Mona Delahooke


Navigating Race, Gender & Motherhood So White



Nefertiti Austin’s son was 6 yrs old when she realized he’d “have to learn that his race and gender could get him killed,” she writes in Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America. That’s not a lesson white boys have to learn, and that’s one consequence of living in a … Continue reading Navigating Race, Gender & Motherhood So White