Why Boys Don't Talk--And Why It Matters: A Parent's Survival Guide to Connecting with Your Teen

by Susan Morris Shaffer and Linda Perlman Gordon

Book Overview

Helps parents reopen the lines of communication with "silent" teenage sons and stay emotionally connected with them

Adolescent boys are notoriously uncommunicative. Unfortunately, too many parents equate not talking with not feeling, and, as authors Susan Morris Shaffer and Linda Perlman Gordon explain in this groundbreaking guide, parents who make that assumption end up validating only the most superficial aspects of their sons. Recent...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0071417877
• ISBN13: 9780071417877
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
• Length: 219 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

I loved this book!

We heard the authors on a radio talk show and immediately bought the book. We needed help in communicating with our teenage son and the strategies and insights in this book profoundly altered our perspective. We have since bought the book for friends who also have teenage sons and everyone has had the same positive experience. This is a terrific book and it can really make a difference.

This book is very important for parents of boys

I really enjoyed the helpful suggestions and strategies that I read in Why Boys Don't Talk. The authors make it very clear, that boys don't need to be like girls in order to become more connected to family and friends. I agree that by focusing on boys, we are not forgetting girls. Teaching both boys and girls to be emotionally intelligent is a win win for both. I initially heard the authors being interviewed on the radio. I enjoyed hearing them talk about the subject and found that they write as well as they speak.I must admit that I have referred back to my copy many times since the first time I read it.

Great blend of intelligence and readibility!!

I love this book. It is a real gem. I have bought it for many of my friends for Christmas. The authors discuss with great clarity, issues that I face everyday with my son. While I often don't finish many parenting books that I buy, I have thoroughly read this book once and have referred back to it several times. The sidebars and excercises are fun to do and the checklists and bibliography are invaluable- I highly recommend it.

What a great book for mothers of sons

I enjoyed this book tremendously, not only as a mother of three sons, but as a psychotherapist actively working with many of the issues presented in the book. As a mother, it helps me to realize that I should listen more to my gut and trust my instincts to stay close to my sons. As a professional, I believe the book adds a thoughtful new way to think about the adolescent task of separation and individuation. As a professonal and parent, I support the idea that adolescence is a time for renegotiating a new relationship with one's parents rather than severing ones relationship with his parents. This is a very valuable book. I loved it!Roberta Shapiro, M.Ed;LCSW; NBCCH. Diplomate, American Board of Psychotherapy

why boys don't talk and why we care

This book is a necessity for any parent of an adolescent boy. The depth of its message resounds throughout our culture every day. This book insightfully probes the reasons that our sons don't communicate the same way as our daughters and explores methods any parent can use to understand and appreciate their boys. This book is incredibly "reader-friendly" in its layout and general accessibility. I would strongly recommend it.