About the Book
Why do we get boys' adolescence so wrong? Here's how to steer them through this silent and confusing passage, by the co-author of the bestselling Care and Keeping of You series and Guy Stuff- The Body Book for Boys
Why is my son suddenly retreating behind closed doors? What's with his curt responses, impulsiveness, newfound obsession with gaming, and...that funky smell? As pediatrician and mother of a boy Cara Natterson explains, puberty starts in boys long before any visible signs appear, and it's as confusing for our sons as it is for parents, often leading to less parent-child communication in the name of keeping the peace. But, as Natterson warns in Decoding Boys, we respect their increasing "need" for privacy and alone time at their peril. Explaining how modern culture mixes badly with male adolescent biology, Natterson offers science, strategies, scripts, and tips for getting it right-
* Why boys need emotional and physical contact with parents--and how to give it in ways they'll accept
* How to manage video game "addiction," screen time, and pornography
* How to steer boys away from new social pressures--vaping, drugs, and alcohol
* Teaching consent and sensitivity in the #metoo culture
Decoding Boys is a powerful and validating lifeline, a book that will help today's parents keep their sons safe, healthy, and resilient, as well as ensure they become emotionally secure young men.
About the Author :
Cara Natterson, MD, is a pediatrician, popular speaker, consultant, and New York Times bestselling author of multiple parenting and health books, including The Care and Keeping of You, a three-book series with more than six million copies in print, and Guy Stuff, the corollary for boys. A graduate of Harvard College and Johns Hopkins Medical School, Natterson trained in pediatrics at University of California at San Francisco. The founder of Worry Proof Consulting, a first-of-its-kind practice offering parents open-ended time to discuss the topics that doctors don't have time for, she is also the Chair of the Board of Starlight Children's Foundation, and is on the Medical Board of Advisors for The Honest Company. Dr. Natterson is also an online expert at momlogic, parentsask, and gurumommy. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and daughter.
Review :
“We know boys need our support to grow up safe, healthy, happy, and emotionally whole. But how do we provide that when faced with their adolescent silence? Decoding Boys to the rescue! Dr. Natterson’s practical, wise insight (undergirded by hard science) into young men’s development is absolutely essential reading for anyone with a boy in their life!”—Peggy Orenstein, author of Boy & Sex
“Decoding Boys offers remarkable scientific insight as to why teenage boys seem to shut down and behave antisocially once they enter puberty. We would say we wish this book was around when we were teenagers, but we were too busy playing videogames, underage drinking, and lying to our parents to read.”—Nick Kroll & Andrew Goldberg, co-creators of Big Mouth
“Fifty years ago the publication of Our Bodies, Ourselves lifted women up by replacing ignorance and prejudice with knowledge and the power of sisterhood. Decoding Boys is equally revolutionary in its mission to help us understand the nuances of how boys develop. Natterson’s warm, candid, and conversational style gives us a vibrant, page-turning deep dive into both their emotional and physical growth; hers is an authoritative and passionate voice. I finished reading this book enlightened and excited to share it with parents of boys everywhere.”—Wendy Mogel, Ph.D., New York Times bestselling author of The Blessing of a Skinned Knee and The Blessing of a B Minus
"Decoding Boys debunks the widespread myth of the inscrutable teenage boy. Dr. Cara Natterson illuminates boys' inner lives, details the pressures they face from the outside world, and teaches parents how to effectively engage and support their adolescent sons. Decoding Boys is clear, wise, and eye-opening. If you're raising a boy, you need this brilliant book."—Lisa Damour, Ph.D., New York Times bestselling author of Untangled and Under Pressure
“For every parent who asks me how to get their son to say more than ‘I’m fine,’ I now have an answer: read Decoding Boys and absorb Cara Natterson’s wise, thoughtful, compassionate, and informed advice. It will empower parents to have better relationships with their sons and guide them to become confident, honorable young men.”—Rosalind Wiseman, New York Times bestselling author of Queen Bees and Wannabes
“Decoding Boys is the ultimate guide to help you understand and raise your boys with acceptance and perspective. Reading it is like having an empathetic, really smart friend who totally gets what you are going through and is helpful every step of the way!”—Mallika Chopra, author of Living with Intent
“Decoding Boys is the book we’ve been waiting for! Dr. Cara Natterson tackles the topics that are difficult for parents to understand, let alone discuss with their children. She demystifies the complex science of male puberty and delivers sound advice for any adult living with—and wanting to support—an increasingly silent teenage boy.”—Louise Greenspan, M.D., coauthor of The New Puberty: How to Navigate Early Development in Today’s Girls
