Bringing Up Boys

Excellent book! Great read! Very insightful! Highly recommend this for any parents of boys.

What a phenominal book for parents! I wish I had read it years ago when my now 24-yr old son was still a toddler. Since I have a 13 year old son still at home, I know that he and I will benefit from the contents of Dr. Dobson's book. Raising boys in today's culture is especially challenging. I want my sons to grow up confident, brave, respectful, and godly. That won't happen by accident, especially with all the negative influences in the American culture today: television, video games, music, pornography, etc. This book is full of statistics from national and international studies, expert advice from professionals in the fields of psychological, child development, theology, etc. Besides all that, it is a very entertaining read. I didn't want to put it down! It affirmed my efforts as a mother desiring to give the best to her son, it challenged me to expect more from my child, and encouraged me fight against those things in our culture that come against the family and God. Thank you, Dr. Dobson for writing this very important book. I plan to recommend it to friends and family and I may even share my copy.

It's such a privilege and commitment to be a parent, I'm now aware about my responsabilités and my kid's behavior

Most people struggle in raising well-adjusted Christian boys. The Morine family is no different. Since my wife and I have both a boy and a girl, we decided to read both Bringing Up Boys and Bringing Up Girls. Even though it makes for extra reading, Bringing Up Boys has been a huge blessing. This book is written by the local and nationally known author Dr. James Dobson. When I first picked up Bringing Up Boys, I thought it would be more of a step by step process in training young men. Of course, there is a ton of useful advice along these lines, but the book seems to have a broader focus. It begins with explaining the neurological difference between boys and girls. He counters some of the modern thinking of refusing to acknowledge the uniqueness of the genders. Boys are different, and therefore the methods in raising them will be different. The book transitions to detailing the need to protect young boys from the dangers in the world. This is a passion of mine as I have felt that Christianity has pacified men. The boy's spirit is one that is becoming feminized in the world. Young boys cannot shoot guns, be warriors, and live for adventure. It seems that some in Christianity prefer that boys be "nice guys", which is a turn off for the man's spirit. Jesus was not "Mother Teresa" but the perfect combination of the Lamb and Lion of Judah. Dobson argues that "boys must be boys." Of course, this must be shaped through the fruit of the Spirit and the image of Christ. Dobson moves to more specific advice by addressing fathers, mothers, and grandparents. Each role has a purpose to play in shaping a healthy self-image for the young man. When these characters are removed, there seem to be long lasting scars that remain. Some of these scars can develop into a homosexual orientation for a young man because he is being developed inappropriately. The author has a whole chapter on the development of homosexual feelings within guys. Another excellent chapter presents Dobson's attempt to overcome some of the negative stereotypes of men described in society and in the media. He refuses to allow movies and the television to dictate the image of the man. Hollywood seems to portray man as a "fool" in most shows. The husband or male figure is pictured as an immature "idiot" who, on his own, is unable to think and function in this world. He must have the strong and smart woman to "boss" him around. Instead of seeing men as leaders in the home, Hollywood pictures the man as just another boy for the woman to tend. James Dobson moves to some more practical matters in the final chapters of the book. He deals with the issue of school. He notes that many a boy's spirit has been crushed because of unmerciful teasing in the school yard and classroom. He adamantly refuses to subject a child to this behavior. It does not teach him to be a man but to be insincere. Dr. Dobson also turns his attention to predators in this world. The world is becoming increasingly more sexually sick. Parents must be aware of these shifts and guard the child from this. Never assume anything, but guard against these predators, whether they be other adults or the media that is filtered through the computer or television. He submits two chapters on "staying close" to the boy. Teaching a boy to be a man means mentorship. And the final chapter deals with disciplining the boy. All through this book there is wisdom to be gained. Do your boy a favor, and read this text; you and he will be thankful.

... On how to raise children especially boys. He completely explains that boys and girls are different for a reason and that were over drugging boys to make teachers happy. Boy cannot sit still! Girls can. Different hormones and different reactions to every situation. This is so worth hearing and reading before you get that next prescription!

... Dobson does just call homosexuality a disorder: he documents why he believes this to be true. And there are a substantial number of phychiatrists and psychologists who believe similarly. Dobson quotes the original APA votes from the early 70s to show that even at that time, there was nothing like unanimous agreement within the psychiatric/psychological establishment. Since then, little has changed in the realm of science: only public opinion has changed, influenced by ...the media. About the book, it is generally a very thoughtful discussion of the special attention that bringing up boys requires. Now, everybody (including Dobson, right in the forward) admits that bringing up girls have special problems too. Dobson wrote the book because the problems of bringing up boys are seldom discussed or even admitted to exist. Another point is that Dobson is a very compassionate person. Whether he has an "agenda" or not, anybody who reads much that Dobson writes knows that he has a great deal of love and compassion for those he writes about, even for those who he disagrees with. (Would that certain book reviewers would have the same compassion.) He really does love the people he's talking about, and that love comes through in his books. "Hating the sin but loving the sinner" is not just possible, Dobson practices it. If I have a negative comment about the book, it's that Dobson does not give much coverage to the boys who do not fit the typical "boy mold." He mentions several times that not all boys are the rough-and-tumble type of boy, that quieter or more sensitive boys were made that way by God just as much as the prototypical boy was, and God can use them all to His glory. And I believe that he believes this sincerely. But it seems almost like an add-on to the rest of the text that's not really explored as much as it could be. I think some people who have boys that do not fit the typical mold will end up feeling discouraged when their son doesn't match up to the type described again and again. But overall, it's an excellent book that gives practical tips to loving parents, grandparents, and friends.

I was disappointed in the book. 90% of it is anecdotes that relate to kids in general and quotes from other peoples books. The remaining 10% was written for mothers, I suppose because fathers should already know.

einfach lesenswert!!! muß man selber gelesen haben, wenn man Jungs hat, viele gute, nachdenkenswerte Aspekte! habe dieses Buch mit großem Gewinn gelesen, war begeistert! Bin selber Arzt und Psychotherapeut- die medizinischen und psychologischen Aspekte sind absolut zutreffend und akteull, z.B. über das ADHS!!!

Bringing up Boys by Dr Dobson gives an insight into the world of boys that is backed up by psycolgical and scientific evidence as well as his own experience. Much of the information is essential for the parent or anyone else involved in caring for boys or young males. He attacks Western Culture as the cause for much of the distress found in families and, whether or not you agree with it all, he includes hard evidence that everyone should know and which has, so far, been largely rejected or ignored by society. A challenging and thought provoking read, but ultimately hopeful and inspiring.

Very useful to new parents of boys. Coming from an all girls family I didn’t know the challenges a boy faces during his life much less the challenges he will face in this day and age. I have a 10 month old son and I am praying that I understand him the way he is and not the way the culture or I myself make him to be. I’m sure I’ll be reading this book again and again because of all the information contained in it.

As a mother of a boy who didn't have any brothers, I've always worried that I didn't know what I was doing with my son. This book gives good practical advice about essential aspects in raising boys and reassurance in basic parenting. It will cause some controversy in the chapter on homosexuality, but gives a clear biblical perspective on the issue. Amazon's price was hard to beat, and they delivered the book very quickly in excellent condition.