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Mama's Boy?
The Key to Understanding Your Emotional Son
By Gwen Morrison
Dr. Slater points out that some fears or concerns may be irrational and may be dealt with more easily, while other fears may be more specific. Communication is a good way to help your child to face some of those anxieties.
"My son has always been a bit more sensitive than my oldest, and now even my youngest, son," says Carma Haley Shoemaker of North Carolina. "He would rather play his saxophone than joke with the other preteen boys in the neighborhood."
Shoemaker's son is involved in a lot of outdoor activities as well as writing and drawing but she feels he gets his feelings hurt far too easily over jokes made by friends. She has tried to teach her son to just let things go and not to worry so much.
"I don't want him to lose his 'sensitive' side," Shoemaker says. "He is considerate, kind-hearted, loving, attentive and will often help others in any way he can if he thinks it will make someone happy. This is a very rare trait these days, and I'm hoping that as he grows older, he will at least keep a portion of what he has." Shoemaker feels that being sensitive has its benefits and that it's just who her son is.
"There's nothing wrong with sensitivity in boys and men," Dr. Slater says. "Actually, it is an advantage because sensitivity allws vigilance to one's environment and improved perception, which can help people see things more clearly and plan better. It can also enhance relationships."