Raising Sons: Helping Your Son Find His Pack
EMAIL 1
Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.
Subject Line: Boys Travel in Packs
Dear Parents,
Did you know that developmentally young boys are more likely to be in a group of friends rather than just focus on one or two friends?
Young boys typically find a group of five to ten friends that share the same interests like sports or video games. When they have the affinity group in common, the boys are able to build friendships that they enjoy for years.
That’s what we’re discussing in this month’s parent video!
To watch the brief video, click the link below.
https://vimeo.com/parentministry/review/663402381/97c0e14989
Thank you for the privilege of partnering with your family. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]
EMAIL 2
Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.
Subject Line: You Son Needs His Pack
Dear Parents,
There are generally two paths that boys follow in regards to building friendships. They either find a pack of friends based on a shared affinity or they are more of a loner that doesn’t build significant friendships.
That’s why one of the most important things you can do as a parent is help your son find their pack of friends!
We give some thoughts on how to do that in this month’s parent video.
To view the full video, click on the link below.
https://vimeo.com/parentministry/review/663402381/97c0e14989
As always, I enjoy partnering with your family. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]
VIDEO
SOCIAL MEDIA SWAG
New Parent Video!
Teenage boys typically find their friends through a shared affinity group. This is an important developmental process for the way they build friendships. We discuss this more in this month’s video.
We’re talking in this month’s parent video about how teenage boys find their friends and why it might be important for them to find their pack.
In this month’s video we’re talking about the way boy develop friendships during the teenage years. We think it will help you understand how to support them.
Video Script
Shout out to all the boy parents out there. I hope you’re doing well. Parenting boys is no joke. There’s a lot of unique things about parenting a boy. In this video, we’re going to talk about how to help boys boys develop healthy relationships as they’re heading towards middle
Middle school can sneak up on you if you let it. You can get into all of the cool things that your child is doing for the first time. And as they have that sweet time of parties at school and play Little League sports, you may not really realize that the middle school years are coming. It’s easy to get yourself so stuck in the elementary years you don’t prepare well for the middle school years.
In this video, I want to tell you about those relationships that are going to be coming in the middle school and high school years. Why am I picking on the boys?
Because boys developmentally build friendships and relationships differently than girls. Now I am speaking in general. Your boy may be different. A girl may have these issues as well, but in general, we’re talking about boys developing relationships.
The key point here is we want your son to find a pack of friends. Boys move in packs in middle school. And it’s actually been proven that if we don’t get them in a group or a pack, then what happens is they tend to stay out by themselves. Girls, in contrast, they will get in groups of two or three and are comfortable as they develop relationships. But boys in general will either have a pack or be by themselves. So one of the most strategic things you can do is help your son find a pack before middle school.
Because if they can’t find that pack in middle school, many times, their relational pattern continues through high school. So how do you help your son find a pack? Well, statistics tell us that the best way to help your son find a pack is through shared affinity groups. That means do they like chess? We’ll get them in with a group of boys that like chess.
Do they like video games? Help them find a group of friends and host parties where they can play those video games. Are they an athlete? Get them on a sports team and make sure they’re connected. Whatever it is their affinity, whatever their hobby, whatever they enjoy doing outside of school, help them find connections with other boys in a group before middle school.
It’s so strategic, and obviously it’s not something you can fully control, but it might you something you can influence. And it is a great way to help them find a healthy group of friends as they head into those middle and high school years.