--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But sometimes parents get confused about…" description: "\"“But sometimes parents get confused about boys. Why do parents hesitate to discipline boys? Or why do they make the mistake of disciplining them too ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/michael-thompson-53955_baby-boy_but-sometimes-parents-get-confused-about_2662838.jpg" --- # But sometimes parents get confused about boys. Why do… ![“But sometimes parents get confused about boys. Why do parents hesitate to discipline boys? Or why do they make the mistake of disciplining them too harshly? They do it because they are shocked, ashamed, or confused—shocked because they cannot believe that their loving baby boy is suddenly so…” quote by Michael Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/michael-thompson-53955_baby-boy_but-sometimes-parents-get-confused-about_2662838.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/michael-thompson-53955_baby-boy_but-sometimes-parents-get-confused-about_2662838.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/michael-thompson-53955_baby-boy_but-sometimes-parents-get-confused-about_2662838.jpg) > ““But sometimes parents get confused about boys. Why do parents hesitate to discipline boys? Or why do they make the mistake of disciplining them too harshly? They do it because they are shocked, ashamed, or confused—shocked because they cannot believe that their loving baby boy is suddenly so oppositional, ashamed because they feel inadequate and afraid that they really are raising a male monster, and confused because they cannot figure out how much “aggressive” behavior is tolerable in a boy. The last point is a fascinating and difficult one. How much activity and aggression should parents tolerate in a boy? And how can you tell the difference between activity and aggression?”” [Michael Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parents often struggle to balance discipline with understanding of boys' natural energy, fearing aggression or inadequacy. **In simple terms:** Parents find it hard to know how much boy energy is normal. Key Takeaway Seek balanced, informed discipline. Themes parenting gender discipline Mood conflicted thoughtful Type advice questioning When to use this quote - parent‑child conflict - school behavior - sports coaching Key Concepts masculinity developmental psychology Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicate healthy activity versus aggression? - How can parents avoid over‑reacting? A Different Perspective Discipline approaches vary widely across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity Aggression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity-aggression-2441293/) [Aggression Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression-parents-2441291/) [Baby boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby-boy/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents Confused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-confused-2422804/) [Parents Hesitate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-hesitate-2420935/) [Tolerate Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerate-boy-2441292/) ## Related quotes > [A lot of parents are confused because they're reading a lot, and they can't make up their mind on what they're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-frost/a-lot-of-parents-are-confused-because-they-re-reading-a-lot-and-they/) [Jo Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-frost/) > [Most parents would not hesitate to assume responsibility for their child's behavior on a playground, at school, or in someone else's home. What happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-simmons/most-parents-would-not-hesitate-to-assume-responsibility-for-their/) [Rachel Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-simmons/) > [Michael Jackson has a new baby boy; no word yet who the father is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/michael-jackson-has-a-new-baby-boy-no-word-yet-who-the-father-is/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I just heard about a woman in Germany who just gave birth to a baby boy named "Jihad." 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He left his jeans open,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-michael/you-want-it-boy-he-pulled-his-prick-out-of-his-jeans-god-yes-that-s/) [Sean Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-michael/) > [This is my baby boy. I sold is other brother and my aunt has his other other brother. This baby's other other other brother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cowgirl-haley00/this-is-my-baby-boy-i-sold-is-other-brother-and-my-aunt-has-his-other/) [Cowgirl\_Haley00](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cowgirl-haley00/) > [(Don't forget about us) Don't baby, don't baby, don't let it go No baby, no baby, no baby no Don't baby, don't baby, don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/don-t-forget-about-us-don-t-baby-don-t-baby-don-t-let-it-go-no-baby/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [Parents tend to name all of baby boys' body parts, but with girls they go from belly button to knees with this void in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-orenstein/parents-tend-to-name-all-of-baby-boys-body-parts-but-with-girls-they/) [Peggy Orenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-orenstein/) > [This is my amazing girlfriend who is carying our wonderful baby boy/girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stark/this-is-my-amazing-girlfriend-who-is-carying-our-wonderful-baby-boy/) [Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stark/) > [There comes a time in every rightly constructed boy's life when he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-comes-a-time-in-every-rightly-constructed-boy-s-life-when-he/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“On my birthday, every year since I turned eighteen, she called me at twelve twenty in the morning to wish me happy birthday and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-a-webb/on-my-birthday-every-year-since-i-turned-eighteen-she-called-me-at/) [T.A. Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-a-webb/) > [Birth: The first and direst of all disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/birth-the-first-and-direst-of-all-disasters/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [My mom sees her sons as baby boys. Well, I stopped being her baby boy a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-gumbel/my-mom-sees-her-sons-as-baby-boys-well-i-stopped-being-her-baby-boy-a/) [Bryant Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-gumbel/) ## More by Michael Thompson > [“Labeling we use to define a boy only obscures him. It is of no help to boys and no help to us, either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thompson/labeling-we-use-to-define-a-boy-only-obscures-him-it-is-of-no-help-to/) [Michael Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thompson/) > [“Maccoby’s conclusion is that there is some kind of “prenatal hormonal priming” that predisposes boys and girls to respond differently to different kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thompson/maccoby-s-conclusion-is-that-there-is-some-kind-of-prenatal-hormonal/) [Michael Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thompson/) > [“Every father has to choose and choose again how involved he will be with his children. Why does he have a choice when his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thompson/every-father-has-to-choose-and-choose-again-how-involved-he-will-be/) [Michael Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thompson/) > [“When we look at such boy play through the adult lens of violence, we miss the opportunity to use it as a window into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thompson/when-we-look-at-such-boy-play-through-the-adult-lens-of-violence-we/) [Michael Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thompson/) > [“the best academic grounding for their son may be quiet, sustained play at home and a kindergarten that emphasizes socialization, play, and the out-of-doors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thompson/the-best-academic-grounding-for-their-son-may-be-quiet-sustained-play/) [Michael Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thompson/) [Explore all 6 Michael Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thompson/) ## More Baby boy quotes > [Michael Jackson has a new baby boy; no word yet who the father is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/michael-jackson-has-a-new-baby-boy-no-word-yet-who-the-father-is/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Birth: The first and direst of all disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/birth-the-first-and-direst-of-all-disasters/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“On my birthday, every year since I turned eighteen, she called me at twelve twenty in the morning to wish me happy birthday and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-a-webb/on-my-birthday-every-year-since-i-turned-eighteen-she-called-me-at/) [T.A. Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-a-webb/) > [There comes a time in every rightly constructed boy's life when he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-comes-a-time-in-every-rightly-constructed-boy-s-life-when-he/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [This is my amazing girlfriend who is carying our wonderful baby boy/girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stark/this-is-my-amazing-girlfriend-who-is-carying-our-wonderful-baby-boy/) [Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stark/) > [Parents tend to name all of baby boys' body parts, but with girls they go from belly button to knees with this void in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-orenstein/parents-tend-to-name-all-of-baby-boys-body-parts-but-with-girls-they/) [Peggy Orenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-orenstein/) > [(Don't forget about us) Don't baby, don't baby, don't let it go No baby, no baby, no baby no Don't baby, don't baby, don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/don-t-forget-about-us-don-t-baby-don-t-baby-don-t-let-it-go-no-baby/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [This is my baby boy. I sold is other brother and my aunt has his other other brother. This baby's other other other brother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cowgirl-haley00/this-is-my-baby-boy-i-sold-is-other-brother-and-my-aunt-has-his-other/) [Cowgirl\_Haley00](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cowgirl-haley00/) > [“You want it, boy?" He pulled his prick out of his jeans. "God, yes. That's why I'm here." "Good." 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Or as the TSA put it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/i-just-heard-about-a-woman-in-germany-who-just-gave-birth-to-a-baby/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [My mom sees her sons as baby boys. Well, I stopped being her baby boy a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-gumbel/my-mom-sees-her-sons-as-baby-boys-well-i-stopped-being-her-baby-boy-a/) [Bryant Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-gumbel/) > [This goes out to my home girls This goes out to my homies Baby girl, I know that you've been off track U feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auburn/this-goes-out-to-my-home-girls-this-goes-out-to-my-homies-baby-girl-i/) [Auburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auburn/) > [I'm a huge advocate of prayer. I've been praying since I was fifteen years old and the doctor told me I was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-hughes/i-m-a-huge-advocate-of-prayer-i-ve-been-praying-since-i-was-fifteen/) [Cathy Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-hughes/) [Browse all 107 Baby boy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby-boy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But sometimes parents get confused about boys. Why do parents hesitate to discipline boys? Or why do they make the mistake of disciplining them too harshly? They do it because they are shocked, ashamed, or confused—shocked because they cannot believe that their loving baby boy is suddenly so oppositional, ashamed because they feel inadequate and afraid that they really are raising a male monster, and confused because they cannot figure out how much “aggressive” behavior is tolerable in a boy. The last point is a fascinating and difficult one. 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