Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Raising Boys

The evidence-based guide to raising emotionally healthy, resilient boys, from developmental pediatrician and bestselling author Dr. Billy Garvey.

Boys are in crisis. Suicide is a leading cause of death among males aged fifteen to forty-four, while rates of anxiety, depression, and school avoidance continue to climb. The way we raise boys—from infancy through adolescence—is too often part of the problem rather than the solution.

Dr. Billy Garvey, developmental pediatrician with over twenty-five years of clinical experience, draws on research, case studies, and his own experience as a father of three to reveal the ten most critical insights for raising emotionally healthy boys. With evidence-based clarity, he shows parents how to replace harmful patterns with strategies that build genuine connection, resilience, and emotional strength.

You will learn how to:

• Reframe early language: The words boys hear from birth shape their emotional and social capacity in ways most caregivers don't realize.
• Build emotional regulation: Learn to create genuine space for vulnerability and self-awareness in boys at every developmental stage.
• Dismantle gender scripts: Understand what healthy masculinity looks like—and how to model and cultivate it from early childhood onward.
• Use play intentionally: Discover how unstructured play builds the empathy, social skills, and resilience boys need to flourish.

Critical takeaways from birth through adolescence include:

• being affectionate with baby boys, who are often left to self-regulate
• intervening to guide them to safe and healthy play if needed
• building their vocabulary around physical sensations (feeling hot, tense, dizzy, etc.) that can indicate emotional distress
• continuing to provide physical affection as they get older, as well as demonstrating affection and care for others
• creating regular opportunities to spend time with close friends

Blending clinical wisdom with personal memoir, Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Raising Boys equips caregivers to raise boys who are not just strong—but connected, resilient, and whole.