1.17.2009

Bringing Up Boys - Review

Nicole asked me:
"I was looking at the Dobson book, is there different stuff in it that you wouldn't find in a normal parenting book?"

So that prompted me to write a review on the book.


I finished Bringing Up Boys by Dr. Dobson and I would highly recommend it to any Christian parent raising young sons. I found the book to be easy to read, full of stories and examples and at the same time insightful and informative. I think it is an excellent and relevant resource for raising boys in this culture.

There is a consistent encouragement throughout the book that in raising our sons our goal should be to raise men. The importance of instilling confidence in our sons and surrounding them with good role models is emphasized, as well as the importance of a father/son relationship.

While Dr. Dobson very clearly states that not all boys fit your stereotypical image of a boy (and that it is normal and healthy), most of the book is dedicated to describing what one would generally define as a stereotypical boy. That was perfectly fine for me, as Judah is as boy-ish as I think he could possibly be and Wesley is definitely headed that direction too! I love my boys and all their wild, creative boy-inisms, and reading this book has only served to make me all the more excited about what is to come.

I really enjoyed what Dr. Dobson had to say about the education of boys and how schools, in general, are geared more towards a girls learning enviroment. It was also insightful what he had to say about the effects the media has on boys with how they portray men - in fact it made me rather squirmish thinking about the undertones in just about every kids movie Judah has seen. Sometimes it is subtle othertimes not so much, but almost every movie the man is made to look like an idiot and the woman is the smart, fit, attractive, always right one. That was one of the most convicting things about the entire book to me, and we were already careful and limited with what we allow him to watch.

I haven't read many other parenting books - in fact I can't think of any other parenting book that captivated my attention to completion - so I can't compare it to the advice given in other books. While it is very much a common sense book, it digs deep into the psychology of boys, how they defer from girls, how to approach them and encourage them as boys and so, so much more.
I found the solid Christian values that are encouraged and the ideas that are given to be encouraging, informative and refreshing.

Not only do I think this a book well worth reading if you are a Christian parent, I think it is a book well worth owning.

7 comments:

Amber said...

Thank you!! I've been wondering about this book as well. :-) Now I think I'll have to find a copy.

Crystal said...

Hmm, I'm not a Dobson fan at all but it sounds like it has some interesting info.

Nicole said...

Thanks Jessica!!
I have his other book "raising a strong willed child" I only read the first chapter though. I will grab a copy of this though and give it a go.

Bethany said...

I think I remember recommending this book to you last year. My Mom read it and LOVED it. I think it may be time for me to borrow her copy.

Anonymous said...

I was very interested in Dr. Dobson's understanding and your insights in to how women and men are protrayed on TV and in the movies...my husband and I were just having this discussion while watching the the TV show "Reba". Have you ever seen it? Reba, the main character, is a divorced single mom (of course, of course) who is the lifeline/lifeforce/smartest person bar none in the family, which consists of three kids, her ex-husband (a dentist) and his new (bimbo) wife. Of the three kids, the middle child (naturally), a smart-talking girl, is shown the least, and the air-headed eldest, got-pregnant senior year and married to the local football hero is showcased the most. The ex-husband always comes across like an idiot, which is embarassing and sad, considering is he a dentist, the coach of the high school football team and the father of these three kids. It's ludicriouis to believe that he left the smart, common-sense, stalwart, savvy, strong, mom-ofthe-universe Reba for some dumb blonde, but that's how it's protrayed. I found the show will have great appeal for the millions of divorced single moms out there who have great idenitity with being the most put-upon, maligned, long-suffering martyrs in America (and maybe they are), but I wonder (as did my husband/best friend of 30+ years) is why the hell it has to show marriage and men in such a bad light. It's a little tooo serious to be taken as a "light" comedy, and I felt a lot of anger behind it.

Jessica Morris said...

Thanks Ano. for your comment. I have heard of the show but haven't seen it - there are SO many examples like that out there playing on tv that society accepts as "normal."
It's sad, eh?

Anonymous said...

You're welcome. It was my pleasure, and thank you for confirming my sanity, lol. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person noticing this stuff. Yes, there are many examples of this on TV; personally, I watch reruns of the Golden Girls and Touched by an Angel on the Hallmark Channel. It's tougher when you're raising kids, to find programs that do not have an agenda. Good luck, and thanks for reading/keeping my post. I enjoy your site; you have a great attitude and a beautiful family. God Bless, "Ano"

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