99: Exams: how to cope with boys who fail them and seem apathetic. Email from a step-parent

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In the West, we tend to see success for late teens as passing exams, getting into further education or getting a job, and moving on with life. So when we received an email from a mother, concerned for the welfare of her two step-sons who've performed poorly in their final high school exams, and who don't seem to be interested in finding work, we thought it would be a really interesting topic to unpack.
 
Her step-sons aren't alone. There is growing concern about the relative underachivement of boys in education across the Western hemisphere, and the term 'failure to launch' was even referred to as a syndrome in a recent article in The British Journal of General Practice.
 
We discuss coping with our own expectations and feelings of fear about our children's suceess, managing a complicated situation as a step-parent, and the structural issues affecting boys in today's society.
 
 BOOKS REFERENCED:

Boys Adrift, Leonard Sax explores the alarming trend of boys falling behind in education and life. 

Of Boys and Men: Richard Reeves. Why the modern male is struggling, why it matters, and what to do about it.

USEFUL EPISODES:

Masculinity: https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/98-boys-emotions--vaccinations-and-online-influencers/

Step-parenting: https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/29-step-children-coping-and-thriving-with-a-blended-family/

Setting high expectations: https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/standards-setting-high-expectations-without-the-pressure/

Charging rent: https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/charging-rent-should-you-charge-your-teens-and-young-adults-rent-and-if-you-do-whats-the-best-wa/

Failure to launch: https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/failure-to-launch-what-we-can-learn-from-struggling-young-adults-about-how-to-help-our-teens/

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