How interesting how many of us feel the need to write about this series- its wonderful. To be honest the series didn't really surprise me - there are so many issue bubbling beneath the surface and thankfully now there is more publicity around this. I believe that adults can do more by getting involved in their communities and by providing the youth with third spaces that nurture communication and connection. That is something that all of us can do, even the smallest contribution can make all the difference if we all step up!
You & I are saying much the same thing. Here's my latest post - https://buildingboys.substack.com/p/want-a-boy-to-do-well-love-him (And Chap. 5 of my book Building Boys: Raising Great Guys in a World that Misunderstands Males is 'Help Him Find & Develop His Talents.')
Thank you so much for this. Finally a commentary on the series which acknowledges parent's agency in this. Connection is everything, but it needs to be nurtured, and teens will be mean to you sometimes. I think 'everybody else has it/is on that platform' is not a good enough excuse to avoid setting clear boundaries or having tough conversations. But our role as parents is not about being 'liked' by our children. Staying connected to them can be hard work, but I also believe they will thank us in the long run.
Thank you! This article is absolutely on point. The problem in Adolescence is in the interruption of warm, caring relationship with our teens. What is interrupting that? Screens (and peers). What is the fallout from too much time alone, with peers or strangers and kids watching violent or sexualised content online? Emotional defence.
It's the presence of chronic emotional defence that creates the potential for such shocking lack of empathy and undeveloped emotional maturity in our teens.
Note: Kids who lack emotional maturity also lack that "spark" or emergent energy that comes from a kids with an undefended heart and close, caring connection to caring adults in their lives. See my post https://heartsyncnz.substack.com/p/peer-attachment for more on how peers are part of this equation.
How interesting how many of us feel the need to write about this series- its wonderful. To be honest the series didn't really surprise me - there are so many issue bubbling beneath the surface and thankfully now there is more publicity around this. I believe that adults can do more by getting involved in their communities and by providing the youth with third spaces that nurture communication and connection. That is something that all of us can do, even the smallest contribution can make all the difference if we all step up!
You & I are saying much the same thing. Here's my latest post - https://buildingboys.substack.com/p/want-a-boy-to-do-well-love-him (And Chap. 5 of my book Building Boys: Raising Great Guys in a World that Misunderstands Males is 'Help Him Find & Develop His Talents.')
Thank you so much for this. Finally a commentary on the series which acknowledges parent's agency in this. Connection is everything, but it needs to be nurtured, and teens will be mean to you sometimes. I think 'everybody else has it/is on that platform' is not a good enough excuse to avoid setting clear boundaries or having tough conversations. But our role as parents is not about being 'liked' by our children. Staying connected to them can be hard work, but I also believe they will thank us in the long run.
Thank you! This article is absolutely on point. The problem in Adolescence is in the interruption of warm, caring relationship with our teens. What is interrupting that? Screens (and peers). What is the fallout from too much time alone, with peers or strangers and kids watching violent or sexualised content online? Emotional defence.
It's the presence of chronic emotional defence that creates the potential for such shocking lack of empathy and undeveloped emotional maturity in our teens.
Note: Kids who lack emotional maturity also lack that "spark" or emergent energy that comes from a kids with an undefended heart and close, caring connection to caring adults in their lives. See my post https://heartsyncnz.substack.com/p/peer-attachment for more on how peers are part of this equation.