Breaking the Boy Code

A practical and research-backed discussion of how to improve mental, emotional, academic, and life outcomes for boys In Breaking the Boy Code: The New Playbook for Raising Resilient Boys, child and adolescent mental health expert and psychotherapist Dr. Katie Hurley delivers a timely and important discussion about the urgent crisis facing boys today. She carefully examines the societal pressures and toxic masculinity that negatively impact boys' mental health, academic performance, and social relationships. The book offers actionable steps for both parents and educators who work to support boys aged 5 to 15. It demonstrates how to help them develop emotional resilience, empathy, and healthy relationships. You'll also find:

• Hands-on and practical steps that parents, caregivers, teachers, and others can implement immediately to improve outcomes for the boys they're responsible for
• Scripts and strategies for helping young and teenage boys improve their relationships and lives
• The latest research on pre-adolescent and adolescent boys

Perfect for the parents of boys, educators, teachers, coaches, and mental health professionals, Breaking the Boy Code is an essential strategy guide for improving the lives of boys everywhere and for helping them meet the extraordinary challenges posed by contemporary life.

Contents
Author's Note xv
Introduction xxi
Part One: Rethinking Boys Will Be Boys 1
Chapter 1: The Boy Code 3
Chapter 2: Mean Boys: The New Face of Bullying 41
Chapter 3: Winners and Losers and the Rise of Hypermasculinity 83
Chapter 4: The Evolution of Anger 113
Chapter 5: Pressure Points 131
Part Two: The Boys We Mean to Raise 147
Chapter 6: Building Strong Bonds 149
Chapter 7: Rebranding Sensitivity 167
Chapter 8: How Boys Cope 183
Chapter 9: Identity Formation in the Age of Labels 197
Chapter 10: Cracking Confidence 211
Chapter 11: Own Your 2% 225
Chapter 12: Boys in the Digital World 233
Chapter 13: Boys Will Be . . . Who They Are 255
Chapter 14: Healthy Sexual Development 267
Chapter 15: The Art of the Soft Landing 277
References 281
Acknowledgments 299
About the Author 303
Index 305