Why The Phrase “Man Up” Misses The Point When Raising Our Sons

We’ve all heard the expressions “Be a man!” and “Man up!” (usually when a guy is dealing with something difficult), and I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been a fan. Somehow these phrases always seem to imply that boys and young men should be strong, stoic, and fearless – that they shouldn’t share their feelings, have feelings, and certainly, not talk about their feelings. Boys are expected to quickly get over whatever situation has them down.

You never hear someone say “Be a woman!” (I’...