How to Talk to Kids about Boyworld, Girlworld, Bullying & Cultures of Dignity

Special Guest: Rosalind Wiseman

This podcast provides:

  • Information on boyworld vs girlworld: The cultural messages and the challenges that girls vs boys are coping with in today’s society
  • A step-by-step plan of what to do when your child is involved with a mistake, problem or bullying issue with another child. “Just because it’s common, doesn’t make it right.”
  • A step-by-step plan of how to approach the other parent if your child is on the receiving end of bullying or social aggression
  • The difference between bullying, drama and conflict
  • The script for how to talk to kids about dignity, respect, conflict and relationships

Important Messages:

  • Help your kids, don’t take over.
  • Aggression, relationships and kids: “We have to understand the context in which these things are happening. Because if we want the chance to actually address the problem so young people can learn from it then we have to have an understanding, as best we can, of what happened that created the dynamic. I know it does happen that kids go after another kid for “no reason,” I get that, but in my experience, the vast majority of times when I’m dealing with kids, there’s at least some stuff going both ways.”
  • Boys: Boys have friendships that mean something to them. When boys express their anger, a lot of time they are sitting on their feelings and bottle it up, then lash out and get out of control. We haven’t given them the skills (or we have dismissed their feelings or made boys feel that they shouldn’t express them) to deal with these feelings before they get so frustrated or upset that they can no longer keep these feelings inside. Then we judge their actions when they explode.
  • Girls: When we send the message to girls that girls are mean and the relationships are negative and full of drama, we set this message as the standard.
  • When approaching another parent about bullying, drama or aggression: Pick one or two things or a pattern of behaviors rather than a laundry list of ways the other person’s child is being a brat.
  • The way adults are managing social media has a profound effect on how kids manage and understand social media. Use, over-use, branding, authenticity– Watch the hypocrisy!
  • Give yourself a break, give other people a break before judging and assuming other people’s bad intentions.


*Loved this podcast topic? Look for the upcoming podcasts from Carrie Goldman on Bullying and kids and Annie Fox on Girls and Drama-free friendships!