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Raising Boys Today
The Real Meaning of Strong
By Jennifer Nelson
"Young adolescents – especially boys – do not have much experience talking about feelings," says Steinberg. He says they may feel down but not know why, or be unable to verbalize their feelings, making action talk a good way to getting boys to open up and learn to verbalize.
According to Pollack's book, boys often give verbal clues that they're ready to talk about their feelings. Their way of talking to parents about the failure on a school test or another dilemma is sometimes to bring up completely unrelated subjects for conversation – often ones that are seemingly nonsensical.
"Like adults, adolescents need to sound off, " says Steinberg. "They want understanding."
Finally, Pollack recommends parents give space to their adolescent sons. Sometimes this is a necessary part of helping them to help themselves.
"Closing the door to their room allows teens to relax," says Steinberg. "They can indulge in heroic fantasies, or surround themselves with old familiar possessions of childhood without letting others know they are not as grown-up as they pretend to be."
