Economically Undesirable Men?

An article published in the Journal of Family and Marriage titled “Mismatches in the Marriage Market” published last month has fired me up; and my hope is it fires you up too! The article addresses what it calls a shortage of “economically attractive” unmarried men….according to unmarried women!  Unmarried women find the available men undesirable…

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In Search of Fathers Wisdom

When an article on boys gets published and catches my eye, I like to share my thoughts with you!  This one was written by a mom raising a 12 year old boy; “Raising Better Boys” was in USA Today and here’s what caught my attention. In the midst of innumerable allegations bringing white-hot attention to…

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Father: Teacher, Mentor & Example

The New York Times ran an op-ed piece by a psychologist/father titled “It’s Dangerous to Be a Boy.”  He tells a story about dealing with a situation his son was having as a young man.  In part it went like this… After years together laughing and riding their tricycles and then bikes up and down…

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Epidemic of Absent Fathers

We have an epidemic of absent fathers.  Sad but true.  Here I’ll outline the three most prevalent types. Emotionally Absent This dad may be present in the home physically, but emotionally he’s somewhere else.  Maybe he works long hours; he’s out early in the morning and home in time for dinner. He’s a hard worker…

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The Quest Project: A Parent’s Point of View

Typically, my posts are centered around processes and tips to help parents raising adolescent boys.  A very important component of The Quest Project are the five parent meetings that are scheduled throughout the 10-weeks their son is attending Quest. Parents Are Key to Success! I received this email from a Mom that likely echo’s what…

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Cheers To Mom!

  This is dedicated to all the Mom’s out there who are raising son(s)! Thank You Mom If you’re a single Mom, you don’t need me to tell you how hard it is raising kids alone.  Many mom’s today are filling the role of dad too.  They’re likely working a full-time job, taking care of…

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Parenting Boys? Competition is Good

I am constantly reading, researching and contemplating the best methods for raising a happy, healthy and responsible adolescent boy.  There is always an article boasting “the latest/greatest way.” I am addressing here the subject of competition from the American Counseling Assoc. (ACA)!

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Labels Are for Packages

This is an extremely crucial time for our adolescent boys.  And I’ll say it again “our boys are in trouble!” It’s time to be very careful and diligent as parents to refuse to allow your sons to be labeled. Headed in the Wrong Direction I know that if we, as a society, continue this trajectory–the…

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Counseling for Boys-Today’s Challenges

I wrote about the challenge of “parenting boys today;” here’s some insight into the challenges we face as counselors you may find helpful as well. I Don’t Need Counseling! The first most obvious hurdle to overcome is “in general” males aren’t comfortable with counseling!  That goes for the young adolescent boy all the way to the…

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Giving Your Son Permission to Cry

Has anyone ever said to you “maybe you just need a good cry?”  In the therapy field we call those “cleansing tears!”  Bottom line is it’s okay to cry; and frankly, it can be very good for you especially when you’re grieving.  And guess what, kids feel grief and need to grieve too! The Grief…

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