I feel this is true but just because of the idea of men having to be stronger than women, but I think is just a matter of time to stop thinking like that! My son is such a loving little guy and I'm okay with that!
A Study Suggests Boys Might Need More Emotional Support Than Girls, and It’s a Magic Key for Parents
Even as little kids, boys are taught that they need to “man up” and be tough. They learn that emotions are more of a feminine thing, and this often leads to boys not knowing how to express their emotions properly, and growing up into adults who don’t know how to deal with their emotions.
We at Bright Side found that one study suggests that boys need emotional support, and this can be a real game-changer in the parenting techniques that are applied to raising boys.
Boys’ and girls’ brains develop differently.
Compared to girls, the male brain is heavier, with a larger hypothalamus. This is because boys receive a surge of testosterone in the third trimester of pregnancy, which, apart from making their brains heavier, also promotes greater muscle bulk.
This aids in the boy’s physical strength, but at the same time makes them lack certain qualities like the self-regulation of emotions.
Girls mature quicker than boys.
Girls brains develop at a much quicker pace than boys. Boys catch up to girls around the first 6 weeks after birth. And still, boys continue to develop their brains at a slower rate compared to girls, even after they get older.
According to one study, the brain of a newborn girl is psychologically similar to the brain of a 4-to-6-week old boy.
Boys are more vulnerable to maternal stress and birth trauma.
The study also points out that male embryos are more vulnerable to maternal stress, suggesting that even at the point of conception, males are more vulnerable than females. Furthermore, male fetuses are prone to disorders like cerebral palsy. Also, boys have higher chances of being born prematurely.
All this leads to boys being more vulnerable to birth trauma and unresponsive caregiving, which suggests that not showing boys the same dose of emotional affection as girls is definitely not advised.
Tips to raise boys in an emotionally-positive environment
- Encourage your boy to express his emotions by building trust.
-
Listen to his thoughts and problems carefully, and don’t rush to give him advice or a solution to his problem.
-
Read him books that promote nurturing, empathy, and gratitude.
-
Start talking to him about feelings and emotions from a young age.
-
Give him unconditional love every day.
Do you agree that the age-old stereotype suggesting that boys don’t need emotional support is outdated? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Comments
The tips look very useful! Especially the first one. It's important to encourage your children to show their feelings
Agree! And also talking with them about everything when they're young. That's key for their development
Sorry to say that boys, but looks like we are tough ones here, not you ?
we are constantly forced by the society to act tough :(
we also have feeling you know
doesn't it make you feel stronger?
sometimes you feel like you're about to break but you need to pull yourself together and act strong, because no one will help you, since you are a guy
I guess it's needed that guys receive emotional support from their parent, but it shouldn't grow into over protection or something, otherwise a really weak man will become out of this boy