WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR BOYS?

by MAGGIE HAMILTON

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New softcover book, published 2010, 310 pages.

What kind of world are our boys growing up in?

Why are increasing numbers of boys suffering body image and self-esteem problems? Why do they feel worthless without the latest branded toy, game or item of clothing? What makes soft drinks, snacks and fast foods so attractive? Why are they drawn to countless acts of violence on TV, in movies and in computer games? What impact does our highly sexualised climate and our emphasis on success and money have on them as they grow? And why are so many boys vulmerable to cyber-bullying and porn?

Childhood and teenage life is changing rapidly, leaving parents exhausted and confused as to how best to tackle the many issues they face. How does this high-pressure environment affect a boy's confidence, his values and aspirations, his wellbeing, his sense of community, his attitudes to girls and women?

Following the success of What's Happening to Our Girls?, this book will investigate a wide range of the challenges boys and young men face as they grow up in the early 21st century. These include things such as increasing pressure on young boys to buy into consumerist culture, their exposure to violent video games, early sexualisation and exposure to pornography, the particular risks they face as young drivers, drugs and alcohol, mental health issues, safety on the internet, and bullying. That all sounds terrifying, but as ever, Maggie's emphasis is on finding solutions. As with the previous book, she talks to a number of boys and their parents and teachers as well as professionals, and compiles a vast amount of evidence from various sources. This meticulously researched book will aim to confront the problems boys and young men face, and suggest positive and constructive ways to help them grow into resilient, productive and happy individuals.

What's Happening to Our Boys taps into the hot-button debate about the exposure to new media: How much is enough? Are our kids losing valuable social skills? Do violent games create violent children?

About the author:

Maggie Hamilton is an author, educator, publisher and keen observer of social trends. Her books have been published in Australia, Italy, Holland, Brazil, Lithuania and Saudi Arabia and include A Soft Place to Land and Coming Home: Rediscovering Our Sacred Selves, as well as the more sociological What Men Don't Talk About and her most recent book, What's Happening to Our Girls?

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What's Happening to Our Boys? by Maggie Hamilton