When parents feel separated from their sons by a curtain of silence or a wall of resistance, they're right to be concerned. Boys of few words--the ones who limit their expression to a timid shrug or an indifferent grunt--need our help. Whether the problem is rooted in "nature" or "nurture," boys who grow up unable to talk about their thoughts and feelings find it hard to connect with others at school, home, and eventually in business and personal relationships. Psychologist Adam J. Cox helps parents understand all the factors that may be limiting their son's ability or willingness to communicate--from social pressures to brain differences, from personality traits to a simple lack of vocabulary. Based on these insights, parents can choose specific strategies to help their son improve the language and social skills needed to express himself. Mothers and fathers everywhere will see their own boys in this book, and will come away prepared to help them overcome obstacles, connect with others, and succeed in school and beyond. --- from the publisher Contents Prologue I. The Communication Divide 1. Is Your Son a Boy of Few Words? 2. Why Words Matter 3. "Why Doesn’t He Talk to Me?" 4. Without Words for Emotion II. Especially Challenging Boys 5. Encouraging Shy and Withdrawn Boys 6. Reducing the Resistance of Angry and Antisocial Boys 7. Navigating the Challenges of Learning and Attention Problems III. How to Make Lasting Differences 8. Ten Commitments to Boys' Communication 9. Leading Boys across the Divide: Building Bridges to Social Communication 10. Working with Schools 11. When Professional Help Makes Sense Epilogue. The Men They Will Become Helpful Resources Bibliography Reviews "A thoughtful book ....Cox's detailed real-life examples, suggested interventions for specific situations, and ten principles to help parents focus will help parents mold their sons into skilled communicators. As a result, the boys will be better able to cope with conflict, express themselves, manage stress, and sustain long-lasting relationships. Less how-to and more self-help, this work offers much to contemplate."-Library Journal "Dr. Cox's book is important, insightful, and timely. His ideas about helping boys of all ages will be useful to parents, to teachers, and indeed to all of us who have a stake in boys' emotional health--which is, in fact, everyone."-Mary Pipher, PhD, author of Reviving Ophelia About the Author Adam J. Cox, PhD, is a board-certified clinical psychologist who directs a private group practice focusing on children's mental health and emotional well-being, with a special emphasis on emotional literacy, learning disabilities, and ADHD. Dr. Cox became a psychologist via a nontraditional path. As an artist in Hoboken, New Jersey, he opened his studio doors to neighborhood children, many of whom he taught painting and drawing. The mentoring experience prompted him to enter graduate studies in counseling psychology, and subsequently to become a national advocate for children's mental health. Dr. Cox's work has been cited in Time, Family Circle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and he has appeared on Philadelphia's NBC 10! and NPR's Voices in the Family.
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