Decoding Boys: An Interview with Cara Natterson, MD

Decoding Boys

Adolescence expert Dr. Cara Natterson cracks the code to raising kind, healthy boys

by Steve Silvestro, MD @zendocsteve

The task of parenting a modern day boy is daunting.

It’s as if teenage boys and those who raise them are in an Indiana Jones movie, dodging blades and poisonous darts flying past them at every turn. And the snake-filled pit, of course, is the constant barrage of headlines showing masculinity gone wrong.

So how do we crack the code of raising boys—and do so right at a time when they typically start growing quiet?

That’s the focus of Decoding Boys: The New Science Behind the Subtle Art of Raising Sons—the newest book from Cara Natterson, MD. You might remember Dr. Natterson from our episode together on “How to Talk to Kids about Puberty” (and if you haven’t listened to that, you should—it’s a fan-favorite!). Dr. Natterson is a superstar pediatrician who wears many hats, but its her work as caretaker of the modern iteration of The Care and Keeping of You and her book Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys—that makes her the go-to expert on helping families ride the ups and downs of puberty.

In our conversation, she lays out the secrets you can use to crack the code of raising sons.

Take a listen on your favorite podcast app or in the player below:

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In This Episode, We Talk About:

How we’ve encouraged girls to own their development, but have left boys behind
How to break through the grunts & shrugs and connect with your son—even when he’s shutting down
Why behavior changes at age 8 & 9 might actually be the beginning signs of puberty
The average ages kids enter puberty—and why it might be earlier than you think
Reassurance that some pubic or armpit hair early on often doesn’t mean puberty has started
Challenges faced by early AND late bloomers
How the timing of brain development leads to typical teenage behavior—and why there might be a plus-side to it
Objectification of girls, boys’ body image, porn, and more
Why it’s so important to talk to your sons about what they’re likely seeing in online porn—and how to talk about it
How much privacy to give your teen
How to help boys communicate in a society that doesn’t typically encourage it
…and a whole lot more!