According to David Stein, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Virginia State University in Petersburg, there are differences how parents handle their boys and girls from birth. For one, parents tend to talk more softly to girls than boys as they believe that each gender's brain aren't wired the same way.
However, with this belief, parents often make mistakes on how they raise their boys. And here are the few mistakes sometimes parents commit:
Pressuring them to be great at sports.
Of course, kids should be physically active but that doesn't mean you need to pressure them to join a sport club, be an athlete, and be great at it. Always remember sports are not for everybody.
Boys feel more accomplished when they're praised for how they do a task -- even if it's a simple digging hole in the yard. Praise him for all the efforts and how he handles challenges rather than pressuring him.
Forgetting that they have fears, too.
Never say "boys are tough, so he shouldn't be afraid of anything." Always remember they get afraid, too. Hence, it's better to talk to them and ask what makes them nervous. Then explain to them that it's okay to be afraid; however, they need to face the challenges and be brave.
You stop showing affection as they grow older.
Once your boy hit adolescence, he will eventually dodge from your kisses and hugs. Nevertheless, you can still choose the right moments to show to him physical tenderness. You can have a brief hug when he's lonely or quick peck as he heads to school.
Expecting for them to be emotionally tough.
Just like girls, boys like to be hug too when they're sad. But they don't know how to express their feelings. So, it is much better to teach them about the variety of feelings at the early age and always tell them they can tell you anything.
More so, Dan Kindlon, Ph.D., an adjunct lecturer at Harvard School of Public Health said it is also great to encourage your son to put himself in others' shoes. For instance, if you're watching a baseball game, you can say, "The pitcher looks like he's under a lot of pressure." Then ask him, "How would you handle being on the mound?" This simple question game can help your son handle emotional situations well in the future.
