Blogger mom Cheryl opens her article, How To Get Your Tween/Teenage Son To Open Up To You, with the story of mom who bribed her son with chips to tell her about his day at school (1 fact shared equals one chip given). She talks about the profound truth that boys want to be heard. And she shares ideas to get your boys talking.
She says, “…even though my middle school boys are quiet, I know they want to be heard. A Harvard Study was done over 268+ men’s entire adult life span to determine what made them the happiest. Do you know what the results were? Men were happier when they held strong relationships. Men need people to connect with. And one needs words to build relationships.
So, momma with a quiet son, let’s let this fact empower us. We raise happier boys to become happier men when we teach them to connect through their words. And we can do this. We’re women, after all. I’m pretty sure we invented talking. We can teach our boys to find and use their voice in a natural, healthy way that fits their personalities.”
In general, I try to avoid blanket gendered statements such as “boys are quiet.” But there is truth in that our boys need support in finding their voice and their words. Boys need safe spaces and to be taught emotional vocabulary so they can share their true thoughts and selves and not only that which fits into society’s narrow male gender role.
Check out Cheryl’s ideas for creating these spaces.
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