Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys

Synopsis of Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys

In 'Raising Cain', Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson, two leading child psychologists, share their experiences from over thirty-five years of working with boys and their families. They reveal a reality where boys suffer, feeling sad, scared, angry, and silenced. The authors seek to answer a crucial question: What do boys need that they are not receiving? They explore the forces that threaten them, teaching them that being 'cool' implies macho strength and stoicism. Discarding outdated theories, Kindlon and Thompson illuminate the destructive emotional education that boys receive, urging parents to recognize the price they pay by demanding an impossible standard of masculinity. They offer tools to cultivate emotional awareness and empathy, providing them with the necessary support to face social pressures.