Summary: <a href="http://on-boys.blubrry.net/124-school-readiness/15312169124_6913bd21c4_o/" rel="attachment wp-att-573"></a>Photo by ThoseGuys 199 via Flickr<br> <br> It's back to school time! <br> <br> But despite the smiley faces pictured in many back-to-school ads, the start of a new academic year doesn't exactly generate feelings of enthusiasm and excitement in many boys (or their parents).<br> <br> For many families, back-to-school time is synonymous with dread, fear and anxiety.<br> <br> In fact, the number of boys who don't like school has increased over the past generation. In 1980, 14% of boys said they didn't like school. By 2001, 24% of boys -- nearly one-quarter -- said they disliked school. Today, the number is likely even higher.<br> <br> We get it: school isn't always a boy-friendly place.<br> <br> Boys who have experienced failure and shame in school aren't likely to suddenly develop an optimistic attitude toward school.<br> <br> That's where you come in.<br> <br> There's a lot parents and teachers can do to preserve boys' love of learning, and set them up for a successful school year, including introducing them to new rules and teachers well before the first day and creating morning and after-school routines that respect boys' need for movement.<br> <br> Also important: learning about boys' natural development, so you can better understand why so many boys struggle in school.<br> In this episode, Jen & Janet discuss:<br> <br> * The unique challenges boys face in modern classrooms, including early academic pressure and expectations that aren't aligned with boy development (3:25 & 9:15))<br> * Why it's important to tackle your own unresolved issues and values regarding learning and education (4:00)<br> * How to help boys starting preschool (6:30)<br> * Why you need to explicitly outline behavior expectations for school and home (12:04)<br> * How unscheduled downtime helps boys learn (14:05)<br> * Why you should focus on developing boys' social-emotional skills (14:58)<br> * Setting screen time limits (15:50)<br> * Why (& when) it's OK to prioritize life over homework (16:40)<br> * The "potted plant" method of parenting -- & how to use it to support teen boys (18:00)<br> * How to help your boys get organized (19:23)<br> * Why letting our boys fail will ultimately allow them to succeed (20:36)<br> * How to get teenage boys to talk about school (22:00)<br> * Helps boys transition to high school (22:50)<br> * How teachers can connect with boys (25:42)<br> * How humor can help you deal with setbacks (29:23)<br> <br> Links we mentioned (or should have) in Episode 124:<br> <a href="http://www.on-boys-podcast.com/101-homework-and-boys/">Episode 101: Homework & Boys</a><br> <br> <a href="http://www.on-boys-podcast.com/106-screens-and-boys/">Episode 106: Screens & Boys</a><br> <br> <a href="https://buildingboys.net/7-ways-teachers-can-make-school-better-boys/">7 Ways Teachers Can Make School Better for Boys</a> -- BuildingBoys blog post<br> <br> <a href="https://buildingboys.net/boys-school-2/">Boys & School</a> -- classic BuildingBoys post about the challenges Jen's son Sam encountered when he started school<br> <br> <a href="https://buildingboys.net/5-back-to-school-resolutions/">5 Back-to-School Resolutions</a>
