Helping Boys and Young Men Become Productive Members of Society

Newspapers are full of stories of bullying, hazing, drug use, and alcohol abuse destroying the lives of young men. Parents of these young men often say that they just could not believe that their son would get involved in these activities. Most of these parents are good people who are hard-working and who only want the best for their son. However, their efforts to help their sons develop into young men who will benefit the community are often hampered by external pressures. Many are interested in enrolling their sons in a boot camp for teenagers.

People without children may buy into the common assumption that raising boys is a lot easier than raising girls (Ha!). Society says that girls are the ones who will have self-esteem problems, struggle with body image, and have to put up with aggression from boys. And while some of these things are true, this does not mean that boys in modern society get away easy.

One of the things that makes it challenging for young boys are the changes that have been made in school curriculums that have all but removed positive energy and aggression outlets that young men have. One example of this is how many school districts have minimized the time that children spend at recess. During recess boys could burn off a lot of the energy that they built up sitting through class. Now, those periods of exercise have been replaced with tranquilizing drugs such as Ritalin. There are, however, programs such as those provided by Wood Creek Academy that are focusing on providing young men with positive outlets for their energy while at the same time teaching them skills that will benefit them throughout their life.

A shift has also been seen in the books that young men are assigned to read at school. Many of the adventure books that were once a staple of the curriculum have been removed or replaced because they contain some element that the school system feels is no longer appropriate. However, this has just hampered their desire to read. This in turn impedes their ability to develop socially and intellectually.

The effects of these things have been seen in a dwindling number of men who receive diplomas from a University. As a result, more young men are missing out on employment opportunities. Parents and educational facilities have the responsibility to provide boys and young men with an environment that will help them grow to be productive members of society.

Do you think it's easier to raise boys than girls?

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