It’s a Boy
Your Son's Development from Birth to Age 18
By Michael G. Thompson, Ph.D. and Teresa Barker
It’s a Boy! provides expert advice on the developmental, psychological, social, emotional, and academic life of boys from infancy through the teen years. Exploring the many ways in which boys strive for masculinity and attempt to define themselves, psychologist Michael Thompson, Ph.D., a leading international expert on boys’ development, and journalist Teresa H. Barker identify the key developmental transitions that mark a boy’s psychological growth and emotional health, and the challenges both boys and parents face at each age.
Praise for It’s a Boy
Bringing together the latest research and the mosst timeless knowledge and wisdom, this monumental book is unique, invaluable, and urgently important. Any person who cares about boys must own this book, as it addresses every relevant question and provides not only authoritative answers but also comfort, warmth, enthusiasm, and spark. What a truly amazing achievement, what a gift Dr. Thompson has given us all.
Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., author of Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder
Wise, sensible, accessible, useful—this is the must-have book that all parents of boys will want and need to turn to as their child grows from a baby to an adolescent. Illuminated by Thompson’s years of experience working with boys and their families, this book is chock-full of new insights and the latest science about the ages and stages of boys’ development. It’s a Boy! is a book that parents, educators, health professionals, and policy makers will go back to again and again and each time come away with a deeper understanding and appreciation of why ‘boys will be boys.’
Robie H. Harris, auther of It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health
Michael Thompson has gradually earned his place as the Warren Buffet of child rearing, the real deal. His track record of uncanny timing, his hard-won knowledge, common sense, and humanism have resonated with parents everywhere. Now there is a desperate need to understand our boys more deeply; there is a palpable hunger to learn how to handle our sons better. It’s a Boy! does both in a way not seen before. It’s a Boy! will help your son to feel more loved, understood, and effecitvely guided by you—forever.
Ron Taffel, Ph.D., author of Parenting by Heart: How to Stay Connected to Your Child in a Disconnected World
Spectacular, extraordinary insight, enriched by countless poignant and telling stories of boys and their parents and teachers. It’s a Boy! is an immensely helpful navigational chart for steering through the shoals of a boy’s developmental stages.
Patrick F. Bassett, president, National Association of Independent Schools
It’s a Boy! Is a powerful guide to raising a son in today’s world. Filled with stories from the front lines and practical advice, it is gentle and compassionate, yet also moving and beautifully. The heart of a boy beats in every page.
Michael Gurian, author of The Wonder of Boys
