It's a Boy! Understanding Your Son's Development from Birth to Age 18 Quotes

“Labeling we use to define a boy only obscures him. It is of no help to boys and no help to us, either.”
― Michael Thompson, It's a Boy!: Your Son's Development from Birth to Age 18

“When we look at such boy play through the adult lens of violence, we miss the opportunity to use it as a window into a boy’s hidden emotions.”
― Michael Thompson, It's a Boy!: Your Son's Development from Birth to Age 18

“the best academic grounding for their son may be quiet, sustained play at home and a kindergarten that emphasizes socialization, play, and the out-of-doors.”
― Michael Thompson, It's a Boy!: Your Son's Development from Birth to Age 18

“Every father has to choose and choose again how involved he will be with his children. Why does he have a choice when his wife does not?”
― Michael Thompson, It's a Boy!: Your Son's Development from Birth to Age 18

“Maccoby’s conclusion is that there is some kind of “prenatal hormonal priming” that predisposes boys and girls to respond differently to different kinds of social stimuli. That is, the male hormones that have washed the brains of boys in the womb produce a different style of play in boys three years later.”
― Michael Thompson, It's a Boy!: Your Son's Development from Birth to Age 18

“But sometimes parents get confused about boys. Why do parents hesitate to discipline boys? Or why do they make the mistake of disciplining them too harshly? They do it because they are shocked, ashamed, or confused—shocked because they cannot believe that their loving baby boy is suddenly so oppositional, ashamed because they feel inadequate and afraid that they really are raising a male monster, and confused because they cannot figure out how much “aggressive” behavior is tolerable in a boy. The last point is a fascinating and difficult one. How much activity and aggression should parents tolerate in a boy? And how can you tell the difference between activity and aggression?”
― Michael Thompson, It's a Boy!: Your Son's Development from Birth to Age 18