The Art of Manliness

#448: Your Son Isn’t Lazy — How to Empower Boys to Succeed [RE-BROADCAST]

Nov 25, 2020

Adam Price, a child psychologist and author of "He's Not Lazy," discusses teenage boys' struggles with motivation. He argues that many young men feel overwhelmed by pressure and fear of failure, rather than being truly lazy. Price emphasizes that nagging can worsen these issues, and instead, parents should grant boys more autonomy. He advocates for open communication and support, allowing boys to face natural consequences, which fosters accountability and resilience. This insightful conversation reshapes how we view engagement in teenage boys.

47:41

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Episode guests

Adam Price

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Teenage boys who appear unmotivated in school are often responding to the intense pressure they feel to succeed.

Recognizing and accommodating developmental differences is crucial for supporting boys' growth and individuality.

Laziness in boys is often rooted in fear and self-doubt, and success is not solely defined by academics but also by perseverance, maturity, and organizational skills.

Deep dives

Understanding the Pressure and Fear Behind Teenage Boys' Lack of Motivation

According to child psychologist Dr. Adam Price, teenage boys who appear unmotivated in school are often responding to the intense pressure they feel to succeed. Rather than being lazy, these boys are scared of failure and feel overwhelmed by academic expectations. Nagging and overparenting exacerbate the issue, as it hampers their ability to become self-directed and find their own motivation. Dr. Price suggests stepping back, setting boundaries, and giving boys more autonomy to help them build confidence and discover their own paths to success.

Intro

2min

Understanding Academic Apathy in Boys

4min

Understanding Young Men's Disengagement

19min

Promoting Affordable Luxury and Business Solutions

4min

Empowering Autonomy in Teenage Boys

13min

Empowering Parents in Child Counseling

4min

Empowering Communication with Unmotivated Boys

5min

This is a re-broadcast. The episode originally ran in October 2018.

Do you have a teenage boy who struggles in school? Or do you have a younger son who you can imagine struggling in school as he gets older? He may be an otherwise capable young man, but seems apathetic and unmotivated, to the point you think he’s not excelling simply because he’s lazy. My guest today says that’s the wrong conclusion to draw, and one that leads to the wrong parenting approach to addressing it.

His name is Adam Price and he’s a child psychologist and the author of He’s Not Lazy: Empowering Your Son to Believe in Himself. Today on the show, Dr. Price argues that the real reason many young men are unmotivated is not that they don’t care about succeeding, but that they feel too much pressure to do so, and are scared of failing. We discuss why nagging and over-parenting simply exacerbates this issue, and how stepping back and giving boys more autonomy can help them become more self-directed and find their footing.

Get the show notes at aom.is/notlazy.

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The Art of Manliness

#448: Your Son Isn’t Lazy — How to Empower Boys to Succeed [RE-BROADCAST]

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Understanding the Pressure and Fear Behind Teenage Boys' Lack of Motivation

The Importance of Allowing Boys to Develop at Their Own Pace

Challenging the Notion of Laziness and Setting Realistic Expectations

The Impact of Parenting Styles on Motivation and Autonomy

Building Effective Communication and Trust with Teenage Boys

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts