Are boys’ needs more neglected than girls?

Growing evidence suggests that parenting and schooling is more in tune with girl’s emotions and way of learning than with that of their male peers.

Up until a few decades ago men were essentially the breadwinners of families, their physical strength was required for manual labour jobs and they commanded respect from their great courage in fighting a war. Now however, it’s a very different story. We consistently hear tales of gang crime, antisocial behaviour and the like from boys and stories about the pressures that girls and women face.

Experts are now worrying that changing attitudes towards boys could mean that some of their emotional needs are being neglected.

Uanu Seshmi from the charity From Boyhood To Manhood Foundation has previously advised the government on matters concerning gun and knife crime, and he is of the belief that the interests of boys have been squeezed out in the rush to right historic injustices against women.

Seshmi commented that although its extremely positive that parents are generally more reflective than they were in the Sixties and Seventies, and attitudes towards girls have changed, there is a downside.

‘The downside is that boys have not been paid the same attention. And when it comes to those long-held attitudes — that boys don’t experience strong emotions, that they must be tough and deal with problems by themselves — the same received wisdom prevails.’ He said.

It would seem that headmaster of renowned Eton College also has similar views, after he announced at a recent conference that he felt boys are more emotional than girls and there are times when they seem to be driven by more intense feelings.

‘Treat your boys with the same tenderness and compassion you would your girls’ He said.

Seshmi added that there are also huge differences between the way that boys and girls learn and develop. Many boys tend to absorb more when they learn in a very physical manner, moving around, handling and making things. Though this used to be the way of the past, many schools now adopt a learning approach that is more suited to girls.

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