ABSTRACT

It is challenging for parents and educators to find the balance between honoring boys’ need for active play and accepting what feels like violent behavior. Boys tend to be more physically active than girls, however, tolerating overly aggressive or violent behavior does boys a disservice. The influence of toy and game marketing and media messaging is so constant that many parents surrender, allowing their boys to buy in to society’s idea of masculinity without encouraging reflection. The cultural pressures placed on boys are different, but the relentlessness rivals that of the pressures placed on girls.