Why Boys Don't Talk - and Why it Matters - Softcover

Susan Morris Shaffer is a parenting expert, a nationally acclaimed gender equity specialist, and an educator with more than thirty years of experience.

Linda Perlman Gordon, M.S.W., M.Ed., is a clinical social worker, trained mediator, and a graduate of the prestigious Family Therapy Practice Center. They are coauthors of Why Girls Talk--and What They're Really Saying.

"This wise and warm book encourages mothers not to let their sons become unemotional robots but instead to stay connected."
--Michael Kimmel, professor of sociology, SUNY Stony Brook

"Shaffer and Gordon shed light on the cultural reasons boys frequently don't talk and then show how to encourage conversation and when to respect the necessary silences."
--Laura Sessions Stepp, author of Our Last Best Shot: Guiding Our Children Through Early Adolescence

Whatever happened to that chatty little boy brimming with quirky facts and interminable accounts of his adventures? When did your son grow into the sullen stranger in your house who communicates through shrugs and one-word answers? Is this just part of growing up or is it a sign that something is wrong?

In Why Boys Don't Talk--and Why It Matters, Susan Morris Shaffer and Linda Perlman Gordon draw on their professional and personal experiences to provide answers to those common questions. You'll discover why adolescent boys often feel the need to protect themselves behind a wall of silence and why it's important to your son's emotional health to break through that wall. Most important, you'll gain the knowledge and tools you need to:

• Recognize and understand the subtle ways boys communicate connection
• Reopen the lines of communication with your adolescent son
• Help him learn to express his feelings and experience a range of normal emotions
• Maintain strong emotional bonds with your son in order to support his positive growth and development