Product Description

Raising Cain is a 2-hour PBS documentary that explores the emotional development of boys in America today. Our guide in the program is child psychologist Michael Thompson, PhD, one of America's leading experts on boys. His book on the emotional lives of boys, "Raising Cain," with co-author Dan Kindlon, was a New York Times bestseller. Raising Cain explores the lives of boys from birth through high school through powerful documentary stories about real boys. The hallmark of the program is Michael Thompson's in-depth interviews and interactions with these boys. The interviews reveal the challenges and confusion that boys encounter while growing up in America. In addition, Michael Thompson models ways for parents, educators and counselors to engage boys and help them bring their inner lives to the surface.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21108 in DVD
• Brand: PBS
• Released on: 2006-01-17
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 120 minutes

Amazon.com
In Raising Cain, the two-hour documentary based on the book by the same title, Dr. Michael Thompson discusses how the educational system and today's cultural circumstances are not equipping America's boys with the right tools to development emotionally. If society and the school system stay on their current path, the boys of America are headed for trouble. The lack of positive "father figures" in most American homes, the removal of physical education and recess in schools, a school system geared more toward girls' educational development, and the emotional confusion many boys face when growing up with without any adult male guidance are all contributing factors to American boys' decline in classroom performance, rise in violent outbreaks, and inability to communicate inner feelings. To get to the heart of the issue, Dr. Thompson proposes that by understanding the psychology of boys, we can help get them on track. To get his point across, Dr. Thompson interviews the lives of various "real boys" from birth through high school, of different race and socio-economical backgrounds. His candid interviews reveal the many challenges and confusion all boys encounter while growing up in America. At the end of each section, Dr. Thompson defines ways for parents, educators, and counselors to engage boys and help them discuss many of the internal issues they are conflicted with. This excellent documentary is a real eye-opener and does an effective job pointing out the issues many parents do not feel comfortable talking about, nor understand how to address. Raising Cain is highly recommended to any parent, particularly those that are raising boys. --Rob Bracco

Customer Reviews

A must-see for anyone parenting boys!
Even if you've read the book, don't miss the chance to see this, recently featured on public television stations across the country. It is a real eyeopener and demonstrates HOW and WHY boys are being shortchanged by both our educational system (a primary focus of the documentary)as well as by society and by stereotypes.
I watched this one with my husband and two sons and they were soon talking excitedly about how "true" the documentary was, how they got it "right" and how they'd captured the very real challenges and heartbreaking experiences of trying to fit into an eductional system which isn't geared to the unique traits and abilities of boys.
Agree or not, this one will get you thinking and raises some interesting points such as:

1. Girls tend to read earlier than boys and are more verbal than boys.

2. Smart boys tend to blossom in all male schools but are generally squelched in schools where both genders are in the same classrooms.

3. Intelligent boys may "pretend" to be stupid in order to appear cool or to avoid teasing from other kids.

4. EVERY boy needs to master some skill. Athletic ability seems to be the first choice but if a male isn't athletically skilled, music or other abilities can help fill the gap.

But this movie goes far beyond the few points I've brought up. A major feature is the close-up view of several individuals, each of them offering a different perspective on being male in our society. I also like the fact that the film focuses on both elementary school boys and high school students, devoting about 1/2 the documentary to each age.

Absolutely a MUST for parents, teachers and anyone interested in raising happy, productive young males.

right on!
I agree with the other reviewers that this was an excellent program for parents of boys to watch. While I may not have agreed with all the solutions to "boy problems" that were discussed, I learned a lot and the problems discussed gave me many things to think about and ponder in dealing with my own sons. I have 4 sons -- ages 14, 7, 4, and 1 -- and could see them in each of the boys profiled in this film. "Boys will be boys" is a statement that does not need to be derogatory -- it is simply the truth. And, whether it is nature or nurture that makes boys the way they are -- the fact is that they are different than girls and that we, as parents and educators, must now deal with them in an effective manner. I am going to purchase copies of Dr. Thompson's book for the teachers at my sons' school to pass around and glean from it what they will. I may suggest that the principal encourage the faculty, especially the Jr. High teachers, to take an evening to watch this DVD. I had tears in my eyes several times, as I thought, "So that is the deal with them." If you are a parent to sons, you will feel this DVD ringing true to your life and it will make you feel better about the things you are struggling with. It brings to the front all those little struggles that we think we are the only ones dealing with. This will help you realize that most parents of boys are struggling with the same things and will offer, if not a few solutions, at least some affirmation that you are not alone and some insight into what is going on in those little guys heads and souls!
Highly recommended!

One of the best documentaries I've seen
This is about how bad we raise our kids in the West. If you wonder what's going wrong today with our kids: they've become so violent, so hyper, so emotionally immature while sexually precocious, you shouldn't look very far. Look at their environment. See who's around in the streets and in their homes. Bad influences in the street? Yes. No father figure at home? For sure. Rich parents who spoil their kids by "buying" their love? Plenty. Busy parents who trust money will do the job of raising? Mostly. Now how on earth can these kids ever develop their brains, grow mentally, aquire a culture, if we are still bustling with environmental (out-of-school) problems?

All the violence and sex that floods our society has to reflect on our kids behavior. It's normal that the violence they see, and suffer, out there impacts them so much that they mainly try to survive in the jungle of peer pressure and street gangs. It's just too much.

This documentary is concise, right on target. It gives no concessions to political correctness and is straight common sense. A breeze of fresh air amid all the babble from administrators and pedagogues. Straight talk. Higly recommended. Besides, it's very entertaining, high quality image, and engrossing from the go.

It'll do you good. Watch it.