Bringing Up Boys

Rating:
Summary: boys will be boys
Review: My wife and I have five children, three of whom are boys. This book confirmed our sneaking suspicions that boys are cut from a much different cloth than girls! Thanks, Dr. Dobson, for this eye-opening work.

Paul & Pam Pettit
Dallas, Texas

Rating:
Summary: Bringing up Boys brings to mind another book.
Review: I loved this book. It reminds me of "The Child Whisperer" by Matt Pasquinilli. Both books give practical, common sense advice to parents who are struggling with knowing what to do with their children in order to build moral, ethical, and strongly spiritual children.

Sometimes the most fundamental truths are the most overlooked. In "Bringing up Boys", Dr. Dobson reminds us that truth, honesty, and self-discipline must be modeled by the parent in order for the child to "get it." This book gives a valuable insight into the mind of a boy and the heart of a father. I use "Bringing up Boys" and "The Child Whisperer" in tandem as guidebooks both practical and spiritual.

Rating:
Summary: disappointed
Review: I was a single mother of a boy for seven year. I have remarried, have a two year old boy and another boy on the way so I was very excited to have this book. As much as I appreciate the insight as to how boys are "wired" differently from girl, I can't help but feel that Dr. Dobson looks on mothers as "hosts" for sons and once they hit 18 months, we are supposed to step back. I am feeling now like any interaction I have with my younger sons can almost be harmful to their "manhood." I also COMPLETELY disagree with the homosexuality chapter. There is a big difference between a "cure" and "denial." I was hoping for advice, but instead, I feel like I damaged my older son and am in danger of doing the same to my younger ones.

Rating:
Summary: Half of What a Good Christian Needs to Raise a Good Boy
Review: This is an excellent book about some of the unique challenges faced by parents of boys and how to handle them. However, it is not a complete guide to raising boys. I just finished reading Lawrence Kelemen's TO KINDLE A SOUL, and it is the perfect companion volume. TO KINDLE A SOUL provides all the practical information I needed to help my boys fulfill their potential, and it is written from the same perspective as Dobson's book. Taken together, Dobson and Kelemen are all one needs to raise good boys. Get both books.

Rating:
Summary: Understand Boys And The World Around Them
Review: This is an excellent resource for the Christian parent seeking advice on raising boys in today's society. The book gives information on two main topics: why boys are the way they are and the dangers that boys face in the world around them. The views presented by Dr. Dobson are based on the Bible, and you will find that our culture does not accept much of what he says. However, you must ask yourself if you want to raise your children based on the whims of society that are constantly changing or on the unchanging priciples of Holy Scripture. With this in mind, here are some highlights from the book:

Chapter 2 & 3 -

Dobson presents the differences between boys and girls. The two lists "Girls Are More Better Than Boys" and "Why Boys Are More Better Than Girls" point out these differences in a very lighthearted way as taken from letters Dobson received at Focus on The Family. Then, Dobson goes into how testosterone plays a big factor in accounting in the difference between boys and girls. The higher levels of testosterone make boys more likely to take risks. Dobson discusses the implications of this fact to close out this section.

Ch. 4-6:

Here, Dobson discusses the roles that mothers and fathers play in the lives of their boys. One of the things Dobson points out is that at 18-36 months of age, boys tend to gravitate away from their mothers toward their fathers. That is not to say that either parent is loved less, but their is a natural transition from the intense motherly nuturing needed in the early months to the model of who the boy seeks to imitate. Boys learn what it means to be a man from their fathers. Of great importance in this section is how the absence of a father or father figure affects the development of boys during their lifetime.

Ch 9, 12, 14:

These chapters deal with the dangers that our boys face: homosexuality, anti-male attitudes, and sexual preditors. Homosexuality is cut and dry. It is forbidden by God, and Dobson tells about pre-homosexual signs that you can look for in your boys. I found chapter 12 rather enlightening. Pay attention to the commercials and tv shows that you see. How many of them portray males as moral, intelligent family men? It will make you think twice about what you want your boys to see.

I hope that this information helps you decide whether or not you are intersted in this book. I happen to agree with what Dobson says based on the Bible. If you want to base how you raise your boys on principles from Holy Scripture, I highly recommend this book. If you are in opposition to these views, challenge yourself. Why don't you agree with them? In either case, your strengthen your parenting skills.

Rating:
Summary: Bringing Up Boys
Review: Since I am busy with college at 39, I had planned to read this book, all at once, while on vacation with my wife. I have 4 boys and 2 girls.(5 are adopted) I think that this book explains what is wrong with our society today, what went wrong in the past, and where we're headed--unless of course we recognize the needs of young boys as it is explained in this book. One important theme of the book specified the need for male leadership in our society. I recommend this book for anyone with children, single parents as well. All dads need this book. Another great book by James Dobson.

Rating:
Summary: A Sobering Call to Duty
Review: This book summarizes some of the major trends in American culture and how these have affected/influenced/introduced the various theories on child-rearing and education. It opened my eyes by providing information and reasons on the state of our public educational system, the counterculture movements such as homeschooling, the immeasurably impact of fathers on sons, the origin and effects of the crisis of masculinity and the insidiousness of social engineering (of boys). Every father of boy(s) should read this book -- if you do not raise your kids to respect, acquire and follow your morals and values, they will certainly follow those they learn outside the home/church, which in general, sadly, are deleterious and degrading.

The book reads fast, delightful at times, heart-breaking at others, full of the typical candor and honest suggestions of Dr. Dobson - it almost reads like he sounds on the radio. This review refers to the hardback edition.

Rating:
Summary: worth reading !
Review: This is exactly what we need,a book that outlines how to raise boys according to biblical principles instead of poisonous,evil feministic ideals! I dont care what man-hating women say,boys need our love,guidance and support as much as girls,and they need it today more than ever! God recognizes this,and we should too.

Rating:
Summary: ROCK ON, DR. DOBSON!
Review: If more people raised their sons by the precepts in this book, our country would be a different place. I am a mother of two sons, and have gone where Dr. Dobson warns us NOT to go in this book (ie; divorce is the fundamental reason for the moral decay in our country); nevertheless, I want to do as much right, in God's eyes, that I can to help raise my sons into God-loving, God-fearing men, husbands, and fathers. Keep preaching the truth, Dr. Dobson, and don't let the narrow-minded, bigotted, hate-mongering anti-Christians get you down. You have Christ's hand in your work, and no amount of "Tolerance Talk" from anti-Christians will convince the millions of Christians who appreciate you to think otherwise. I also thought you did a FANTASTIC job on Larry King recently in promoting Christianity in a Christ-like, gentlemenly way. No one in his or her right mind can accuse you of being narrow-minded or bigotted. You are right on target and ooze Christ's love and God bless you for it. There are those who will never "get it." Keep up the great work!

Rating:
Summary: Not A Book For Those With A Liberal Viewpoint
Review: If you hold to the liberal-left viewpoint, please do not purchase this book. It will only serve to anger you. If you hold to the conservative-right, and you have a son(s), you will find this book most beneficial.

Dr. Dobson gets to the heart of the matter when he reminds us that we must bear in mind that we are raising men, not boys. As a mother of a 3 month old son, I have found the information to be very eye-opening. Dr. Dobson emphasizes the importance of the father in the life of every boy and how our young sons must make the transition from an infant who is dependant upon it's mother, to an independant "man-to-be".

His loving candor makes this a most enjoyable book to read, and his common sense & christian values are most refreshing. I am glad I made the investment in my son's future by purchasing and reading "Bringing Up Boys".