Boy Talk: How You Can Help Your Son Express His Emotions

I am a psychotherapist in private practice and I sometimes recommend a book to a client to read to help them better understand how to address a specific emotional issue they are struggling with. Sometimes this is quite helpful and sometimes the client never mentions it again. Over the past several months, I suggested BOY TALK to three separate mothers I am working with and each of them came back to their session with the book in hand, thanking me for providing a resource that made sense to them. They talked about feeling more sure of themselves in terms of understanding their son's needs after reading the book. They also reported using the suggested techniques and tools with a sense of confidence and hopefulness with their sons. I highly recommend this book for mothers and for all of us that impact the future men of our world. Kim Forbes LCSW

I've raised five sons and recognize many points from the map laid out in this book. At some points the direction was wisely taken, but not always. I would have found "Boy Talk" helpful back then. Now I am serving as a volunteer advocate for young boys caught up in the oddly misnamed child welfare system. I have used "Boy Talk" as the source of research-based information on both troubled and normal emotional development. Taking care for boys in a society that minimizes the emotional dangers they face in becoming whole, effective adults means you need support from the researchers. Otherwise the prejudices and stereotypes will probably undermine your efforts and keep building emotionally empty men.

I am an elementary school teacher and this book is just what I needed. It's usefullness in the classroom came as a surprise since I read it as a parent interested in my sons' emotional development. Background information about emotions and specific suggestions for supporting boys emotions at different ages (birth to 18) are invaluable. I have always wanted to support my boys' feelings but was reluctant...for all the reasons described in the book. After reading "Boy Talk" I feel freer to provide this support. I haven't totally changed how I teach or parent. Rather, as the book suggests, I started doing a few small things differently. As a result I have observed fewer behavior problems in the classroom. (I think the boys just generally feel more respected and supported, too.) At home, I notice a closer relationship with my sons. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about boys' emotions but has been afraid to ask.

Are there boys in your life? In your family? Neighborhood? Anywhere? Not the immature, adult version but the true bonafide youth. Then reading this book should be on your "I've gotta do this now" list. Mary Polce-Lynch has crafted a highly accessible piece of work that gets you inside the sometime mysterious world of boys, as defined by today's culture and morals. You know, "boys don't cry" or "boys are tough-being an athlete maks you a real boy" or "boys don't talk about their feelings" or "don't show other guys your feelings" and the list goes on. Boy we have a knack for screwing people up, don't we? The good doctor delves into the emotionless world of boys as outlined by the infamous "Pack Rules." But she goes beyond just identifying the problems we lay at these guys' feet(at a very early age). She offers a solid guide to raising emotionally complete boys who are able to express their feelings not supress them. And emotionally competent boys grow up to become much better men. Dr.Polce-Lynch includes her research and clinical experiences to buttress what she has written. All in all, this book is a wonder and a joy to read. It offers a challenge too, to parents or any adult involved with boys to find ways to make them better people, to help them interact positively with the world around them. I have two sons, teenagers now, and this book opened my eyes to what I've done well and not-so-well in raising them. "Boy Talk-How You Can Help Your Son Express His Emotions" is a great guide for helping boys become better boys and superb men. Get it. Read it. Make a difference in a boy's life.