“I’m Fine”: What Teenage Boys Really Mean
"How's school?" "Fine." "Everything okay?" "I'm fine." If you're raising a teenage boy, you know the script. In this episode, Dr. Christopher Miller joins Michelle Hirschy and Dr. Nicholas Chan to look at what's behind those one-word answers.
You'll hear:
Five things "I'm fine" can mean. A boy may not have the words yet, may want independence, may be out of energy for talking, may have been burned by an earlier conversation, or may actually be fine.
Why boys' emotional centers develop before the part of the brain that handles language.
Practical ways to open up a conversation. Talk shoulder to shoulder during an activity, ask what he thinks before how he feels, and start with the everyday details.
Dr. Miller is the founder and director of the Boys Institute for Growth in San Diego and has worked with boys and families for over 25 years.
