Why I’m Refocusing Building Boys Bulletin — and Who It’s For Now

Building Boys Bulletin 7-7-25

You clearly care deeply about boys. And if you’re reading this newsletter, odds are good that you’re raising a boy of your own — & doing everything you can to raise him into a healthy, kind, confident, man.

You are also probably:
👉 tired
👉 unsure
👉 second-guessing yourself
👉 and wondering if you're doing it all wrong.

I see you. I’ve been you.

I’m a mom of four sons. When my first was born — 27 1/2 years ago! — I didn’t know that boys develop at a different pace than females, or that they’re more biologically immature than girls at birth and physiologically vulnerable throughout life. I didn’t know that gender pressure, sexism, & stereotypes affect boys too, and I definitely didn’t know that school is a tough fit for most boys & their parents.

I’ve spent the past 20+ years learning what boys really need. Most of it the hard way! I stumbled & struggled & somehow made it through. My boys are now all young men - & awesome human beings.

I don’t want you to struggle & suffer like I did. I want to make your path easier. And I want to help you help your boys thrive.

What’s changing

Until now, Building Boys Bulletin has been a place for anyone interested in boys — parents, teachers, advocates. And while that work has value, I realized something important:

The people who need this support the most — the people most likely to quietly read, nod, and feel seen — are moms of boys.

Moms who are mystified by their boys’ behavior. Who can’t understand how or why a little boy can go from quietly watching TV to jumping couch-to-couch in less than two seconds flat. Or why boys find fart jokes so funny.

Moms who worry that their sons’ tendency toward “violent” play — stick fighting, wrestling, pretend gun fights — signals violent tendencies.

Moms who feel like their sons are the only ones struggling in school.

Moms who want to raise great guys — without losing their minds, their sons, or themselves.

So…

This newsletter is now specifically for moms of boys.

If you’ve ever:

• Worried about your son’s behavior

• Gotten “those” phone calls from school

• Wondered if your son is falling behind or shutting down

• Been told to “be tougher” or “just let him be a boy”

• Felt isolated, exhausted, or unsure

This space is for you.

(Don’t worry: If you’re not the mom of a boy, you’re still welcome here. Thank you for supporting me & my work - & for supporting boys!)

Why now?

Because I’m firmly convinced that the best way to build great guys is to support & empower those raising them.

Because you don’t have to time to wait for the culture to shift & change — you’re raising boys now, in a time and place that’s quick to assume boys are problems.

Because you deserve real support, not shame or one-size-fits-all advice.

If any of this resonates with you, please consider forwarding it to another mom of boys. That’s how we grow this space — and build a better world for boys, together.

Thanks for being here.

Here’s to building boys!
Jen

P.S.
If this newsletter has helped you feel more confident, more informed, or just less alone — consider becoming a paid subscriber. You’ll get:

• Weekly issues in your inbox

• Full archive access

• Bonus content and printable resources

• The chance to ask me parenting questions directly

👉 Upgrade to paid for $5.99/month or $60/year

Want to go a step further and support this work at a higher level?

Founding Members receive:
📘 A signed copy of my book, Building Boys
📩 Weekly content, archives, bonus posts, and more
🧠 Priority access to all upcoming resources and events
💬 A personal thank-you from me
🎯 And the knowledge that you're helping build a better world for boys

👉 Become a Founding Member — $110/year
(Limited to the first 25 supporters)

IN THE NEWS

How to Set Boundaries with Your Son Without Breaking the Bond

Highlights:

• “Name the behaviour, not the boy. Say ‘That was unkind,’ instead of ‘You’re being rude.’”

• “When your son messes up, do not rush in with correction. Instead, ask ‘What happened?’ and let him talk.”

• “Boundaries only work when we lead with love, not frustration.”

Will Boys be Boys?

Highlights:

• “The truth is that boys are not less emotional, they are less allowed to be emotional.”

• “By the time they reach adolescence, many are fluent in deflection and defensiveness, but emotionally illiterate when it comes to expressing vulnerability. They’re not broken. They’re conditioned.”

• “I often hear how boys of colour are misread by authority figures, seen as aggressive instead of assertive, angry instead of afraid.”

• “Let’s affirm that a boy who cries is still brave. That a boy who shares is still strong. That emotional intelligence is a survival skill”

• “Boys deserve the space to feel, to be messy, to stumble and grow without being policed for every softness or vulnerability they show.”

Young Men Have Pretty Positive Views on Manhood

Highlights:

• “The vibe you get right now is that young men are…adopting misogynistic outdated views about gender, masculinity and gender roles. But: it’s mostly not true. And saying that it is will justifiably piss off a lot of young men.”

• “It’s important to balance reasonable criticism of online misogyny with some generosity of spirit to the actual views of actual men.”

The Gathering Storm: How Loneliness, Disillusionment, and the “Armed & Ready” Mindset Converge for American Men

Highlights:

• “Perhaps most heartbreaking is the widespread sentiment among participants of this study that ‘no one cares if men are okay’. A staggering 57% of the full sample (men and women) agreed with this, with the highest agreement among the youngest men (69% of 18-24 year olds) “

• “Studies have found that 59% of boys are led to content promoting negative, often misogynistic content through innocent and unrelated searches due to AI algorithms”

Joe Rogan, Young Men Rave About Testosterone Supplements. But Do They Reduce Sperm Counts?

Highlights:

• “More college students are coming into his practice seeking — or already taking — testosterone.”

• “The desired benefits of TRT — such as increased sex drive and enhanced fitness — do not unequivocally outweigh the damage TRT can have on men’s fertility.”

• “There’s a lot of men who are out there taking testosterone thinking that it's making them more virile, but in fact, the testosterone is telling their testicles to shut off”

• “Studies show that patients not meeting the diagnostic criteria for testosterone deficiency are still being prescribed testosterone therapy”