Masterminds and Wingmen
Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, andthe New Rules of Boy World
1 of 1 copy available
Do you constantly struggle to pull information from your son, student, or athlete, only to encounter mumbling or evasive assurances such as “It’s nothing” or “I’m good?” Do you sense that the boy you care about is being bullied, but that he’ll do anything to avoid your “help?” Have you repeatedly reminded him that schoolwork and chores come before video games only to spy him reaching for the controller as soon as you leave the room? Have you watched with frustration as your boy flounders with girls?
Welcome to Boy World. It’s a place where asking for help or showing emotional pain often feels impossible. Where sports and video games can mean everything, but working hard in school frequently earns ridicule from “the guys” even as they ask to copy assignments. Where “masterminds” dominate and friends ruthlessly insult each other but can never object when someone steps over the line. Where hiding problems from adults is the ironclad rule because their involvement only makes situations worse. Boy world is governed by social hierarchies and a powerful set of unwritten rules that have huge implications for your boy’s relationships, his interactions with you, and the man he’ll become. If you want what’s best for him, you need to know what these rules are and how to work with them effectively.
What you’ll find in Masterminds and Wingmen is critically important for every parent – or anyone who cares about boys – to know. Collaborating with a large team of middle- and high-school-age editors, Rosalind Wiseman has created an unprecedented guide to the life your boy is actually experiencing – his on-the-ground reality. Not only does Wiseman challenge you to examine your assumptions, she offers innovative coping strategies aimed at helping your boy develop a positive, authentic, and strong sense of self.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
September 10, 2013 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780307986665
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780307986665
- File size: 5380 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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August 15, 2013
A how-to guide on raising boys. "Boys don't demand our attention the way girls do," writes Wiseman (Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World, 2009, etc.), but that does not mean they don't need guidance just as much as girls. In fact, she writes, "[b]oys profoundly want strong, comforting, honorable adults who admit how messy life is." Using scientific research and information gained directly from more than 150 boys, Wiseman examines the complex world of young men as they navigate school, the playground, locker room, playing fields and social arenas of modern life. Based on the concept that there are unwritten rules about how to "Act-Like-A-Man," which affect every male child, Wiseman unravels how these conventions stop boys from expressing their emotions and asking for help. The author breaks typical boy behavior into a variety of groups, from the Mastermind to the Punching Bag, and helps parents figure out where their son fits. From there, she gives straightforward advice on how to converse with a boy so that a parent receives actual information, not sullen stares and rolling eyes. From lying to sneaking out of the house to proper manners to use of the computer, Wiseman's sound and steady assistance provides a calm response to every twist and turn on the multifaceted road of parenthood. Especially important are the insights she presents on what to do when a boy discovers the roller coaster of emotions and desires involved in sexual situations, such as sexting, foreplay and sexual abuse. A wealth of sensible information for parents of boys.COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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