LET'S TALK ABOUT
RAISING BOYS
Actions to coach healthy masculinity
Parents are the primary influence during your children’s
earliest years. We believe you can make a huge
difference in your son’s behaviors by being a positive role model.
Here are some tips on how you can help the boys in your life develop into healthy men.
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Show that it’s okay to be vulnerable.
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Ask for help.
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Smash stereotypes.
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Call out bullying.
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Identify inequalities and discuss them.
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Break the bedtime mold.
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Lead with action.
Show that it’s okay to be vulnerable.
Show boys positive ways to demonstrate difficult emotions.
Ask for help.
We all need help sometimes – and that’s OK. Let boys see you asking for help or acknowledging when you don't know what to do.
Smash stereotypes.
Encourage an opinion. When watching TV or playing video games, help boys develop a healthy open attitude about what they see, and question stereotypes about women and men.
Check out our research on representations of boys and men in media.
Call out bullying.
Affirm that bullying is not okay. Encourage boys to call it out when they see it – at home, at school or even on the TV.
Identify inequalities and discuss them.
Talk to your son about the ways some people face specific injustices. Read them inspirational stories about men who have acted as allies.
Break the bedtime mold.
Make story time inspiring. Choose a few books that engage boys in healthy ideas of manhood.
Explore our GBI Top Picks: Books Edition.
Lead with action.
Teach by example at all times. Model equality, call out injustices, calmly resolve conflicts and let your sons witness it.