103: Exams: how to cope with boys who fail them and seem apathetic. Email from a step-parent

What do you think of this episode? Do you have any topics you'd like me to cover?

In the West, we tend to see success for late teens as passing exams, getting into further education or getting a job, and moving on with life. So when we received an email from a mother, concerned for the welfare of her two step-sons who've performed poorly in their final high school exams, and who don't seem to be interested in finding work, we thought it would be a really interesting topic to unpack.
 
Her step-sons aren't alone. There is growing concern about the relative underachivement of boys in education across the Western hemisphere, and the term 'failure to launch' was even referred to as a syndrome in a recent article in The British Journal of General Practice.
 
We discuss coping with our own expectations and feelings of fear about our children's suceess, managing a complicated situation as a step-parent, and the structural issues affecting boys in today's society.
 
 BOOKS REFERENCED:

Boys Adrift, Leonard Sax explores the alarming trend of boys falling behind in education and life. 

Of Boys and Men: Richard Reeves. Why the modern male is struggling, why it matters, and what to do about it.

USEFUL EPISODES:

Masculinity: https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/98-boys-emotions--vaccinations-and-online-influencers/

Step-parenting: https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/29-step-children-coping-and-thriving-with-a-blended-family/

Setting high expectations: https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/standards-setting-high-expectations-without-the-pressure/

Charging rent: https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/charging-rent-should-you-charge-your-teens-and-young-adults-rent-and-if-you-do-whats-the-best-wa/

Failure to launch: https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/failure-to-launch-what-we-can-learn-from-struggling-young-adults-about-how-to-help-our-teens/

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