Olga Silverstein discusses her book, The Courage to Raise Good Men, which explores how we raise boys to become men. Silverstein presents a series of questions to describe and interpret how cultural definitions of masculinity and femininity impact the psychological development of boys: "How do we raise our boys to be men? And what do they lose in the process? Can a boy be contaminated by his mother's "femininity"? Has she failed if he isn't macho? Will he be a sissy if she doesn't let go?" Much of the book is based on Silverstein’s practice as a family therapist and reveals, through her pointed questions, how culture tells women that boys should not be raised to have an attachment to woman lest they be turned into sissies. Silverstein sought to provide a framework and set of guidelines that could shed light on how men and women can negotiate the complex cultural terrain encountered in raising boys.
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