The Glenn and Helen Show: Conn Iggulden on Boys and Danger
Are we turning into a nation of wimps? Do boys need to be boys? Is there something parents and schools should be doing differently? Glenn Reynolds and Helen Smith talk with British author Conn Iggulden, whose new book, %%AMAZON=0061243582 The Dangerous Book for Boys,%% takes an old-fashioned positive look at boyhood, bravery, and the nature of risk, about those subjects and others -- including the effect of modern parenting and education on military recruitment and the future of Western civilization. Is being optimistic old-fashioned? Plus, revelations about Helen's misspent youth! Podcast sponsored by Volvo Motors USA.
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May 17, 2007 - 8:45 am
The Glenn and Helen Show: Conn Iggulden on Boys and Danger
How refreshing! What fun! Iggulden is on to something very right here. I think allowing boyishness paradoxically permits a healthy tomboyishness for girls. And I say this as a former tree-climbing buff and the mother of a parkour enthusiast. Any boy who reaches the age of 13 without a trip to the emergency room ought to get a psychiatric consult.
I thoroughly enjoyed the video at Amazon. I did most of those things with my son, who is now a US Marine.
Suddenly I feel better. My parenting approach has at least one supporter!
And yeah, I taught my son how to play poker, and how to catch fish and how to go fast down hill on a go kart and on and on and on.
Son of a gun, I did it right, whoda thunk it?