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Home > Curious Neuron > What all dads need to hear about emotions and their son's future mental health


	Podcast:		Curious Neuron
	Episode:		What all dads need to hear about emotions and their son's future mental health
	Category:		Kids & family
	Duration:		00:49:29
	Publish Date:		2025-11-17 08:00:00
	Description:		Send us a text Today on the Reflective Parenting Podcast, I’m sitting down with Dr. Brendan Kwiatkowski-Hartman to talk about something many parents quietly wonder about: Why do boys sometimes pull away emotionally and how can we support them without pushing too hard? Brendan is a researcher who has spent years studying boys, masculinity, and emotional expression. What he learned in his PhD work is both reassuring and eye-opening: boys do feel deeply, even when it looks like they’ve shut down. And the reasons they hold back are often more complex and tender than we realize. This is a grounded, thoughtful conversation, especially meaningful for dads who want to connect more with their sons but aren’t always sure where to start. In this episode, we cover: The two stages when boys start hiding emotions Why boys say “I’m fine” even when they’re struggling How to become an emotional safe space for your son What makes it hard for dads to be vulnerable Gentle ways to start emotional conversations with boys The RULER model for building emotional intelligence How to support boys who feel anxious or withdrawn Why parents’ own emotional work matters Practical scripts and small daily moments that build trust Read our blog post about this topic: https://curiousneuron.com/2025/11/15/boys-emotional-needs-study/ Learn more from Brendan below: @re.masculine https://remasculine.com https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36176325/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9513388/ Support the show Join our Reflective Parenting Program to learn the science-based skills parents (and their kids) need to thrive: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/ Record your question, or share a parenting insight in a 1 min audio we will share on the podcast https://www.speakpipe.com/ReflectiveParentingPodcast Book a spot in my calendar to chat about your challenges: https://calendly.com/curious_neuron/chat-with-cindy-reflective-parent-club-clone Grab a Free Resource: FREE Workbook: Staying Calm When Your Child Isn’t: A Parent’s Guide to Triggers and Emotions Email: info@curiousneuron.com
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