Hello ,

Today is the International Day of the Boy Child.

I almost didn't write this email. Then I thought of the dozens of mothers who've sat across from me, eyes filling with tears, asking the same question: "Why won't he talk to me anymore?"

So here it is.

Our boys are disappearing in plain sight.

They're in the house. At the table. In the back seat. But they're not really there. The phone has them. The headphones have them. The game has them.

And many of us, exhausted and overwhelmed, have stopped trying to compete.

I understand. I've been there as a mum too.

But today, I want to invite you to try three things. Just for today.

1. Connect. Sit next to him — not across from him. Drive him somewhere. Watch something together. Boys open up sideways, not face-to-face.

2. Understand. Ask one question that has no right answer. "What's the funniest thing that happened this week?" Then stay quiet long enough for him to fill the space.

3. Thrive. Help him picture a life off the screen. A sport. A skill. A purpose. Boys need somewhere to pour their energy that isn't a feed.

That's the Connect, Understand, Thrive framework I teach parents every week. It's simple. It works. But it asks something of us first — that we put our own phones down.

Reply to this email and tell me: what's one thing you'll try with your son today? I read every reply.

Our boys are worth it.

Warmly, Latifah

Latifah Ajetunmobi Parent, Teen & Life Coach | RN, RM, RMN The Latifah Ajetunmobi LLC