by Kayla Myers, Peer Support coordinator
June 24, 2025
I’m a mom of boys, loud, messy, hilarious, curious, deep-feeling boys.
And if I’m honest, one of my greatest hopes, besides them eventually learning to do their laundry and clean up after themselves, is that they grow into men who feel safe being whole. Not just strong or stoic or successful. But soft when they need to be. Honest. Vulnerable. Supported.
Because here’s the truth, one I’ve heard from every mom of boys and quietly carried myself: the world still struggles to let our sons be fully human.
We tell our kids, “It’s okay to cry,” but somewhere between kindergarten and manhood, that message gets lost. Replaced by phrases like “man up,” “don’t be soft,” and “real men don’t talk about their feelings.” And those words don’t just bounce off; they sink in. They settle deep.
As moms, we see their hearts before the world tells them to hide them. We see the quiet anxiety before the tough-guy mask forms. We know the pressure they carry in silence, the self-doubt buried behind humor, the frustration when they don’t have the words to explain what’s going on inside.
June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. And if it reminds me of anything, it’s this:
We don’t just need to raise good men.
We need to raise whole men.
Men who know it's okay to ask for help.
Men who’ve had practice expressing what they feel.
Men who’ve seen someone care about what’s happening beneath the surface.
Here’s what I’m doing, or I should say, what I’m trying, daily:
- I ask them how they’re feeling, and I try not to rush past the silence.
- I talk about therapy like it’s normal, because it is.
- I praise emotional honesty just as much as achievements.
- I work on asking for help myself, because they’re always watching.
In my eyes, no boy should grow up believing his feelings make him weak.
So, whether you're a parent, an aunt, a coach, a teacher, or a friend, be part of the voice that says:
You don’t have to pretend you're okay when you’re not.
You’re not less of a man for needing support.
You’re more of one for knowing when to reach out.
To my sons, and all the boys growing into men:
Your mind matters.
Your emotions matter.
You matter.
Let’s raise them to believe it.
(Edited and Enhanced with ChatGPT)