Boys' Education: Parenting

"“Parenting guidebooks are supposed to help parents, but what if they do more harm than good? …In this article we have deconstructed the strategic logic of two parenting advice books, which thread rhetorical strategies with discourses of mother blame and essentialist masculinity to construct common sense solutions for parenting and educating boys. Although Lashlie and Latta's advice has attained the status of common sense, we argue it is possible to transform its rhetorical power by critically considering its (potential) effects on parenting and educational policies and practices (Weaver-Hightower 2010). As parents and educators, we can take a critical lens to popular rhetorical literature and follow Latta's own advice: 'be wary about anyone giving you parenting advice' (48) in order to prevent future harm from common sense solutions to parenting and educating boys.”

"Based on fathers’ and teachers’ reports, the Fatherhood Reading Squad program seemed to have a positive influence on both fathers and students. Specifically, fathers and teachers believed that fathers’ reading to students had a positive impact on students’ view of fathers in society as well as students’ reading motivation. Student motivation, as evident through book engagement in the classroom, was also observed. Second, the program seemed to have an impact on fathers themselves, including their confidence in parenting and a personal sense of accomplishment for reading in class ... "

“…our results suggest that if parents exhibit gender-stereotypical labour market behaviour, children of the same sex are more likely to choose a gender-stereotypical education. The associations are strongest for sons….We find no evidence suggesting that school and/or residential location are important drivers of the documented intergenerational correlations.”

“Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether gender differences in reading achievement can be accounted for by parents' enjoyment of reading and the emotional contagion of reading enjoyment from parents to their children. To achieve this aim, secondary data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) drawing on 84,429 students in 14 countries were analyzed…. PISA has data obtained from parents themselves and these data are linked to student self‐report data as well as objective measures of student achievement. The robustness of the data allows more confidence in the results obtained…. In terms of practical implications, the findings provided useful information that can help parents become more cognizant of their roles as critical socializers, and how their emotions towards a certain task or field can influence their children's outcomes. This information can also be useful in designing interventions that intend to address the gender gap in student performance in certain fields. "

"This website is a clearinghouse of behavioral science on children and adolescents, developed by the Consortium for Science-Based Information on Children, Youth and Families, the leaders of seven American Psychological Association (APA) divisions that want to increase public access to quality information on children and families. Geared toward parents, educators and behavioral health specialists, the site covers common parenting concerns, such as sleep difficulties, drug and alcohol use, puberty and much more, says Mary Ann McCabe, PhD, who chairs the website’s advisory board and is a past president of Div. 37 (Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice), one of the divisions in the consortium."

"Developed through a partnership between APA Div. 53 (Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology) and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, this website offers information on the symptoms of and treatments for behavioral and mental health problems in children and adolescents. The site also helps parents determine whether a child’s behavior is normal or is a sign of a bigger issue, and offers guidance on selecting a child psychologist."

"Developed by APA’s Children, Youth, and Families Office and its Office on Socioeconomic Status, this site provides parents and caregivers with tips on how to boost children’s resilience in the face of adverse experiences. This site is organized around the various places where children spend their time—home, school, child-care settings, neighborhoods and communities—and outlines how each environment can help build resilience among children living in poverty. Tips include establishing routines in the home, modeling self-control and problem-solving, getting to know your neighbors, and seeking out and/or requesting a classroom with children of differing ability levels ... "

"The Raising Children Network – raisingchildren.net.au – is a complete online resource for Australian parents and carers. It offers trusted, reliable, free information on everyday parenting issues from pregnancy through to teens ... "

"Raising Children Network is an Australian Government funded website that provides evidence-based tips and tools for everyday parenting from pregnancy to teens. It is a free resource viewed over 50 000 times per day ... "

"The online resources worth bookmarking for every parent and carers."

"Raising children of any age is challenging at best. Add to that school holidays and the current world climate and it can be overwhelming. Here are some great parenting books we’ve compiled to give you a head start and help you navigate raising children while juggling the rollercoaster of life ... "