Along with policy options for promoting family and school choice how about implementing a single sex school option especially for boys who lack positive male role models. They need to learn how to be a successful man and the steps to take to get there, surrounded by and lead by successful men.
I come from 2 perspectives, the first perspective is from growing up in a single parent HH. I could see how growing up without a father affected my brother. He did okay but he had some good role models through friends with 2 parent HHs.
The second perspective is from raising a son. He had 2 parents in the home but his father was not such a great role model but he was there and provided good advice (even though he didn’t follow his own advice.) My son also had good friends with 2 parent HHs and other adult men who were good role models.
My son and brother did not make great decisions (nor did I) a lot of times but we were able to get through without any life changing consequences. Without good role models in young men’s (and women’s) lives, there is a good chance they will find themselves in situations that cause serious problems that will affect the rest of their lives.
I see absolutely no real policy solutions aimed at addressing the problems facing young men and boys while they are in school and young enough to make a difference. They mainly focus on what to do after they have made bad decisions and get arrested. It’s like people expect these kids to turn 18 and magically be responsible fathers and members of society without any training whatsoever.
Good points, and an interesting take on the single-sex school, which we have already, albeit private ones. I would want to see a mixed bag of it, because boys and girls have to learn how to get along. Girls have to learn how to speak up and not let boys answer all the questions. Boys need to learn how to stand down. And both need to learn not to bully. And yes, both need good role models (although I have a jaundiced view for how good a role model any nun or priest is).
We are in an age, though, where humans overall are in a stage of almost perpetual arrested development. People could be responsible adults and fully expected to act like it at 18 or 20, get married, raise a family, and they did. A better, longer education puts off adulthood for many until the early to mid twenties. But there were also certain expectations we had for young people. My growing feeling is that too-permissive parenthood is beyond many of our problems (esp the 'trans kid' craze, which seems to be found mostly in liberal families because conservatives tell their kids the truth, "No, you can't be a girl, you're a boy, and you can't change that.") There's plenty to criticize in conservative parenting too - they famously aren't tolerant of their gay kids, either - but gay kids are real and more pervasive than 'trans kids', which, if you remove the gay men, the autogynephiles, and the politicals trying to get laid or destroy women's right to say no to anything, you're left with that very tiny number of probably genuinely 'trans people' who don't outgrow it.
Here’s my suggestion from below...
Along with policy options for promoting family and school choice how about implementing a single sex school option especially for boys who lack positive male role models. They need to learn how to be a successful man and the steps to take to get there, surrounded by and lead by successful men.
I come from 2 perspectives, the first perspective is from growing up in a single parent HH. I could see how growing up without a father affected my brother. He did okay but he had some good role models through friends with 2 parent HHs.
The second perspective is from raising a son. He had 2 parents in the home but his father was not such a great role model but he was there and provided good advice (even though he didn’t follow his own advice.) My son also had good friends with 2 parent HHs and other adult men who were good role models.
My son and brother did not make great decisions (nor did I) a lot of times but we were able to get through without any life changing consequences. Without good role models in young men’s (and women’s) lives, there is a good chance they will find themselves in situations that cause serious problems that will affect the rest of their lives.
I see absolutely no real policy solutions aimed at addressing the problems facing young men and boys while they are in school and young enough to make a difference. They mainly focus on what to do after they have made bad decisions and get arrested. It’s like people expect these kids to turn 18 and magically be responsible fathers and members of society without any training whatsoever.
Good points, and an interesting take on the single-sex school, which we have already, albeit private ones. I would want to see a mixed bag of it, because boys and girls have to learn how to get along. Girls have to learn how to speak up and not let boys answer all the questions. Boys need to learn how to stand down. And both need to learn not to bully. And yes, both need good role models (although I have a jaundiced view for how good a role model any nun or priest is).
We are in an age, though, where humans overall are in a stage of almost perpetual arrested development. People could be responsible adults and fully expected to act like it at 18 or 20, get married, raise a family, and they did. A better, longer education puts off adulthood for many until the early to mid twenties. But there were also certain expectations we had for young people. My growing feeling is that too-permissive parenthood is beyond many of our problems (esp the 'trans kid' craze, which seems to be found mostly in liberal families because conservatives tell their kids the truth, "No, you can't be a girl, you're a boy, and you can't change that.") There's plenty to criticize in conservative parenting too - they famously aren't tolerant of their gay kids, either - but gay kids are real and more pervasive than 'trans kids', which, if you remove the gay men, the autogynephiles, and the politicals trying to get laid or destroy women's right to say no to anything, you're left with that very tiny number of probably genuinely 'trans people' who don't outgrow it.