On Boys Podcast

Middle school — and ages 11 to 14 — is “a time like no other!”It’s a time when significant biological, neurological and emotional changes are happening simultaneously.Middle school boys can be a confusing mix. They want to be treated like adults AND still do incredibly silly things. Jerome Hunter, co-founder of the Seattle School for Boys, recalls his middle school experience as a rollercoaster. In 6th grade, he was an enthusiastic learner who was interested in art, sports, math, & music. But as his junior high years went on, he felt the pressure to conform to others’ expectations. Drawing and art fell by the wayside; sports and socializing moved into prominence. Like so many boys, he felt he had to choose socially acceptable interests, and even though he didn’t feel entirely comfortable dropping some of his passions, he (like so many boys) “didn’t have the language to communicate that.”Middle School Boys, Explained“The middle school boy, as he’s getting older, is yearning for autonomy, freedom, and indep