How to Raise Emotionally Strong Boys with David Thomas

Hey, hey! Welcome back to the show! Today’s episode will be so helpful to anyone who has a boy in their life that they care about deeply. 

David Thomas joins me today to talk about raising emotionally strong boys. He’s spent 25 years counseling boys and young men. After all, we live in a world that often bombards our boys with messages like “don’t feel” or “don’t ask for help.” Both are harmful messages and, unfortunately, ones that many of them absorb throughout their lifetimes. 

Listen in as David and I discuss how we can best communicate with the boys (and even the men) in our lives, along with practical ways to help them develop new vocabulary and skills that will better serve them over time. 

As the mom of five boys, you know I listened closely to David’s advice in this episode, my friends. Such wisdom!

David is the director of Family Counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee. He has co-authored ten books, including his two latest titles, Raising Emotionally Strong Boys and Strong and Smart: A Boy’s Guide to Building Healthy Emotions. 

Listen in to learn more about:

• What causes boys to instinctively begin to channel all primary emotions (fear, sadness, confusion, disappointment) into anger around ages 9-10
• Some red flags may indicate the boys in our lives are struggling emotionally and how we can help them recognize, regulate, and repair those emotions
• How Jesus is the perfect example of healthy masculinity

Favorite quotes:

~Boys tend to have a less expansive emotional vocabulary which makes us think they have fewer emotions.

~Somewhere around  9 to 10 boys instinctively begin  to channel all emotions fear, sadness, confusion and disappointment into one emotion and that is anger.

~Having side by side conversations rather than eye to eye. Even shame registers differently for us as males and too much eye to eye ,where  females can experience intimacy and connection, we males experience shame and  threat in that. 

~Anger is a secondary emotion; there is always something going on beneath. 

~This evidence that Jesus felt all the things we are going to feel and had an emotional  presence and strength in the midst of it. He also was a man who walked in intimate close relationships with a handful  of men.

Links to great things we discussed: 

"Feels Like Home" | Drew & Ellie Holcomb ... - YouTube Music

Kipchoge: The Last Milestone (2021) - IMDb

Everything sad is untrue- Book

Vuori Clothing: Activewear & Athletic Clothing for Ultimate …

David Thompson’s website- Raising Boys & Girls

Mad Men (TV Series 2007–2015) - IMDb

All Hail King Jesus (Lyric Video) - Bethany Wohrle - YouTube

Worship for fierce faith - Playlist 

Confident Motherhood Community

Hope you loved this episode! Be sure to subscribe in iTunes and slap some stars on a review! :)

xo,

Alli