Top Tips: Positive Content for Boys (12–25)

We’re hearing more and more about the negative online influences shaping our teen boys, particularly within the “manosphere.” In a recent Q&A, a parent asked Maggie for positive role models and resources for her son.

So we turned to our wonderful community for suggestions – stories, people and content that offer a healthier, more grounded counterbalance to the algorithms targeting our young men. We complied a list from the responses and hope they provide a good starting point.

Below is a curated list of books, movies, TV shows, podcasts and online content to marinate our boys aged 12–25 in positive male role models and meaningful stories.

To get us started, Maggie suggests watching a few episodes of ‘Ted Lasso’.

DISCLAIMER: These suggestions are shared from our online community so they are not personal recommendations from Maggie Dent – please check out the accounts/suggestions yourself before sharing with your kids/teens.

If you haven’t watched Maggie’s From Boys To Men webinar series you can access this here

Content

TV & Movies

Ted Lasso – TV series
Hamish Blake & Andy Lee – social media and radio personalities – Caravan of Courage and Gap Year both TV series – humour, good mates, supportive
Bear Grylls – books and TV series
Run the Nedd Brockmann story – documentary
David Attenborough – nature documentaries
Masterchef series – realising dreams, overcoming challenges, resilience, supporting others
Eddy The Eagle
Limitless with Chris Hemsworth
Waterman documentary on Duke Kahanamoku
Ewan McGregor documentary – Long Way Round
Guy Martin – motorcycle racer and mechanic
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Shrinking – TV series
Forrest Gump – and other Tom Hanks movies
Togo with William Dafoe
Harry Potter – series of 8 movies
Lord of the Rings – movie series
Luke Skywalker – Star Wars movies
Ryan Reynolds in the series “Welcome to Wrexham” – the real life Ted Lasso story
Nelson Mandela – Long Walk To Freedom movie
Dead Poets Society
The Karate Kid
Rocky – movies
Good Will Hunting
Billy Elliot
The Blind Side
Spiderman – Into the spiderverse
The Pursuit of Happyness – Will Smith

Books

Help Me Help My Teen – Maggie Dent
The Making Of Men – Arne Rubinstein
Gary Ablett Junior – his wife Jordan Ablett released her memoir, One Day At A Time about the emotional journey of navigating their child’s disability.
Wild Boy – Brando Yelavich
The Horse Boy by Rupert Isaacson
Glen McGrath – Line and Strength
Mahatma Ghandi – Freedom Fighter – many books available
Barrack Obama – A Promised Land

Social Media, Podcasts, People (positive role models)

@twomates1chair – social media – best mates travelling the world, one in a chair.
@theimperfectspodcast – good humans talking about a variety of topics – mental health and imperfections
@j7healthjaveno – Javeno Mclean
@hamishblakeshotz – Hamish Blake
@andytomlee – Andy Lee
@ropinstitute – Rites Of Passage Institute
@robertirwinphotography – Robert Irwin – Media personality, Australia Zoo, conservationist
@lebron – LeBron James
@lukebateman_ Luke Bateman – former Australian rugby league footballer
Smosh – YouTube production
Casey Lowry – Musician

Image Credit: © By photography33/Deposit Photos