Big Boys Cry
It’s Billy’s seventh birthday and no one is more excited than he is to finally be a big boy! At the park later that day, Billy finds himself in tears after getting hurt in a small accident. When a passing stranger scolds him, telling him that ‘Big Boys don’t cry – only silly ones do’, Billy questions what it means to be a big boy. Thankfully, Mum and Dad and some new friends help Billy understand that crying is normal and that everyone does it, including some of Billy’s favourite and most admired members of his family.
For many boys today, there is a fear that expressing emotion is seen as a sign of weakness. This only becomes more evident as they move from boyhood into adolescence.
This book helps parents frame emotions in a positive light, normalising the idea that all boys cry, whether they are seven years old, in the armed forces, a fireman or a father – all big boys cry, it does not make them silly!
A Powerful Important Read
It’s so important to ensure that boys and men are aware that it is okay to be sad and to cry when they need to and I definitely think that this book is a good stepping stone towards having open and honest conversations about it. It is set out in a way that makes it easy to talk to the child while you’re reading it. It shows children, both boys and girls, that is is okay to cry no matter your age or gender. Everyone cries and it’s okay to do so.
As well as an important discussion, the book is also colourful and fun and I think that it will go down really well with children. I definitely recommend this book as one to read with your kids as well, as it is something that should definitely be spoken about carefully and frankly. It is time that we change how society views mental health – especially when it comes to males and this book is definitely a stepping stone in the right direction.
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