by janetedgette | Aug 1, 2025 | Boy behavior, Boys, Masculinity, Parent-Child communication, Parenting, Parenting young children, Sportsmanship
“He’s tough, he’s a boy. He can take it,” says a father about his 6-year-old son, who just got knocked flat on his face by an older brother testing out his brand-new bike. Sure, he can take it. What choice does he have? But “can” is a different experience from... by janetedgette | Jul 29, 2025 | Boy behavior, Boys, Kids who are afraid to play sports, Kids who don't like sports, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys
On any given day, the sculpted faces of men known for their athleticism or physical prowess smile, stare, or sulk handsomely at us from our magazine pages, television screens, and computer monitors. Men recognized publicly for their empathic or aesthetic sensibilities... 
by janetedgette | Jul 26, 2024 | Boys and sports, Coaching kids and teens, Kids who are afraid to play sports, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Sportsmanship, Uncategorized
Where do children go to play sports when they’re just “average”—or worse? KEY POINTS Our aggrandizement of athletic prowess discourages kids from staying with activities unless they excel. Too many kids drop out of favored activities once they... by janetedgette | Jun 20, 2024 | Boy behavior, Boys, Boys and sports, Bullying, Coaching kids and teens, Kids who are afraid to play sports, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Sportsmanship
Photo by Tod Dalley via Flickr In the agonizing moments before their names are called, those last boys picked for the kickball or basketball team during gym, or its un-legislated twin—recess—are getting a tutorial in what it means to be considered a liability.... 
by janetedgette | Apr 15, 2021 | Boys, Boys and sports, Family life, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Parent-Child communication, Parenting young children
Many men credit sports as having served as the cornerstone in their relationship with their fathers, as does Keith Gessen in his article Game Over (3/22/21). Tossing a ball or driving to events together offers an easy backdrop for talking and hanging out as well as a... by janetedgette | Nov 6, 2020 | Boy behavior, Boys, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys
Esther J. Cepeda’s op-ed about the narrow margins of masculinity within which society tells men and boys to live (Guys, are you trapped inside the “ManBox” stereotype? Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 4/8/17) addresses a topic we are all familiar with, but don’t take...