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Bringing Up Boys
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Bringing Up Boys
With so much confusion about the role of men in our society, it's no wonder so many parents and teachers are at a loss about how to bring up boys. Our culture has vilified masculinity and, as a result, boys are suffering.
Published
(first published September 18th 2001)
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This book was loaned to me by a friend who had purchased it, but not read it. I only finished this book so that I could do a comparative review to Raising Boys: Why Boys Are Different-And How to Help Them Become Happy and Well-Balanced Men but after reading it, I realized that this book is far more comparable to I Am America than any serious or informative text on raising boys.
Despite the fact that Raising Boys is vague on details, out of date and amateurish in the more intimate areas of brain f...more
Despite the fact that Raising Boys is vague on details, out of date and amateurish in the more intimate areas of brain f...more
We got this as a gift -- it isn't a book I would have sought out. It's kind of funny -- I brought up this book at Thanksgiving dinner at the in-laws and my ultra-Conservative right wing SIL scoffed at it! Anyhow, Dobson's views on parenting are way too colored by his political views. If I listen to him my sons are going to grow up to be homosexual because my husband is out of town too much and I take on the lion's share of the parenting. Yeah, I'll make a note about that. (Hey -- by that view, a...more
I am raising three boys. I received this as a gift and was appalled at the anti-feminist, homophobic, religious morality rhetoric contained within this book. It is a dangerous misrepresentation of imperical psychological data to formulate correlations that are not only incorrect but also insulting. The level of chauvinism and bigotry are astounding. The author includes amusing antecdotes and a few remedial suggestions for raising boys. However, this only hides the fact that he wants you to raise...more
Jun 26, 2007
Jessica
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
parents of young boys - duh
Shelves:
readthisyear
I wanted to be turned off by this book by a very conservative author, but Dobson raised so many important points about raising a strong, confident, secure, creative little dude that I reluctantly learned a lot. However, stereotypes abound.
I was given this book as a gift as well. I saw this other comment written by Jane Leacock "I am raising three boys. I received this as a gift and was appalled at the anti-feminist, homophobic, religious morality rhetoric contained within this book. It is a dangerous misrepresentation of imperical psychological data to formulate correlations that are not only incorrect but also insulting. The level of chauvinism and bigotry are astounding. The author includes amusing antecdotes and a few remedial...more
This is a very dangerous book for mothers and fathers of boys. There is puntitive parenting tactics and worse there are scare tactics and unproven theories used to promote detaching of young children from their mother's. PLEASE, if you do read this book, read it as an opportunity to educate yourself against the Christian movement towards puntitive discipline, control and breaking of a child's spirit. I have lost all respect for Dr. Dobson after reading this book. Parts of it are so disgusting to...more
Dr. Dobson does not hide his political agenda in anything he is apart of, this book included. Some of his views may be a bit right wing, even for me. However, no one can deny the cold hard facts he lays before his readers in Bringing Up Boys.
Dobson scientifically analyzes biological data, he compares Christian perspective with secular world views/perspectives and he manages to do it all in a loving grandfatherly sort of way. His critics felt attacked by his book--I felt challenged. Yeah, so mayb...more
Dobson scientifically analyzes biological data, he compares Christian perspective with secular world views/perspectives and he manages to do it all in a loving grandfatherly sort of way. His critics felt attacked by his book--I felt challenged. Yeah, so mayb...more
Overall I like this book, especially the first few chapters. I learned a lot about how boys think and how they are wired which helps me understand all the boys in my life better I think. But I did end up feeling hugely overwhelmed and depressed by the end as he goes on and on about all the horrible things our children will be faced with in this wicked world. Yes, there are parts of this world that are wicked but there are a lot of beautiful and happy things too and instead of feeling hopeful as...more
So, you're probably asking what buisness I had reading Bringing Up Boys. None really; I was just curious. You see, I wanted to get a different perspective, but I wasn't interested in changeing my views. (Thankfully) I must say that Dobson's by no means the worst writer ever to call the Earth home, and there have been other books churned out of the Christian Conservative campy that are substantially more out-there. You can tell he's sincere in his intentions, and he has Hence, I've gotta give hi...more
I just finished reading this book by Dr. Dobson. And if you're a parent of a boy or a grandparent, aunt, or uncle of one, I recommend reading it. I have a high regard for Dr. Dobson and this book sheds light on what makes boys tick and how you as their parent or loved one can raise them to be strong Godly men.
I admit some of the points in the book had me saying "oh, this is gonna be way too hard, how can I handle it?" But Dobson does give a message of hope. And you know what, being a parent is h...more
I admit some of the points in the book had me saying "oh, this is gonna be way too hard, how can I handle it?" But Dobson does give a message of hope. And you know what, being a parent is h...more
Never before have I been disgusted by the fact that I spent money on a book. If I could give it zero stars, I would.
I ordered the book online after just seeing the title on a suggested reading list, and since I'm all for reading up about parenting lately and it had 4 stars, and well, I have a boy, I went ahead and ordered it without knowing anything about it or the author.
In reading the first chapter, I recognized the author and realized that his ideas were likely to be more conservative than...more
I ordered the book online after just seeing the title on a suggested reading list, and since I'm all for reading up about parenting lately and it had 4 stars, and well, I have a boy, I went ahead and ordered it without knowing anything about it or the author.
In reading the first chapter, I recognized the author and realized that his ideas were likely to be more conservative than...more
I'm reading "Bringing Up Boys" by Dr. James Dobson (founder of Focus on the Family). I LOVE it! It has just affirmed what I know to be true: that my husband is a MAN, a REAL man (who I love to death), and that raising a boy is so important (not that raising a girl is unimportant, but if you read the book, you'll understand that it's just really different).
This is not my point to this post. It is actually about why we feel disconnected to others. I'm sure if we dig deep down, we all know that it...more
This is not my point to this post. It is actually about why we feel disconnected to others. I'm sure if we dig deep down, we all know that it...more
Oh.
This book was recommended to me by a friend who has pretty different views from mine, but I love her anyway. I had never heard of this Dr. James Dobson person (hi, apparently I live in a cave), and I thought it would simply help me understand the minds of dudes a little better since I'm pregnant with a boy and have always felt like I don't "get" boys.
My friend had told me the book was perhaps more religious or conservative than I would normally read, so I figured I'd take Dobson's views with...more
This book was recommended to me by a friend who has pretty different views from mine, but I love her anyway. I had never heard of this Dr. James Dobson person (hi, apparently I live in a cave), and I thought it would simply help me understand the minds of dudes a little better since I'm pregnant with a boy and have always felt like I don't "get" boys.
My friend had told me the book was perhaps more religious or conservative than I would normally read, so I figured I'd take Dobson's views with...more
I gave up on this book. Several people had recommended this book to me. When I bought Bringing Up Boys, I was hoping to gain insight into raising my little one. Based on the recommendations I received, I thought the book would give advice on how to raise boys in different situations. I was greatly disappointed. Instead of advice, the book was filled with Dr. Dobson's personal opinions about parenting - most with which I disagreed. I am a Christian, but I found Dr. Dobson's views to be very narro...more
I have to say that this book wasn't what I expected and I don't really mean that in a negative way.I was just expecting a lot more concrete"do this and do that" advice. And I also really feel that I need to say that this book both frightened and depressed me at times. There were, of course, some great principles for raising boys, which I found very helpful since I grew up with a sister and, obviously, had no hand in the childhood development of my husband.
I like Dr. Dobson's book because I feel...more
I like Dr. Dobson's book because I feel...more
This was one of the lemons. This book came highly recommended to me and is by a well respected author. However, the book was of little/no use to me.
Here are some of the reasons this book was no good:
1) In his chapter about how schools are geared toward female sensiblities and can make it difficutl for boys to succeed - his solution was to home-school your child or send him to a private, all-boy school.
2)There is a chapter on how to prevent homosexuality.
3)Throughout the book, Dr. Dobson refers...more
Here are some of the reasons this book was no good:
1) In his chapter about how schools are geared toward female sensiblities and can make it difficutl for boys to succeed - his solution was to home-school your child or send him to a private, all-boy school.
2)There is a chapter on how to prevent homosexuality.
3)Throughout the book, Dr. Dobson refers...more
Mar 03, 2012
Sharran
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Psychologists studying family dynamics
I wanted to get this as a gift for a friend of mine who found out she was pregnant with a boy. I am glad I listened to it first because it did not turn out being what I thought it was going to be. James Dobson seems to focus on the extremes such a what causes boys to have a higher chance of becoming criminals and homosexuals. I was looking for practical advice on how a mother should interact and relate to her boy (especially for someone who doesn't have brothers, and this is her first child, etc...more
I had a tough time deciding how many stars to give this book. I didn't agree with everything he wrote (he's a bit extreme) but he has me curious enough that I want to read his book on discipline; I figured I'd better go with the higher rating if I am going to keep reading his works.
This book is packed full of statistics (circa 2000) that made my blood run cold. But he also offers helpful insights for child rearing. The first half focuses on the vital role of involved fathers, and the second abou...more
This book is packed full of statistics (circa 2000) that made my blood run cold. But he also offers helpful insights for child rearing. The first half focuses on the vital role of involved fathers, and the second abou...more
This is the gold standard of Christian parenting books written by THE expert. Not everyone will agree with everything in this book, but it's hard to argue with godly advice and years of experience in this field. I particularly like the conservative and very biblical approach, compared to some other popular yet secular parenting books. This book shares my morals, values and convictions. I particularly liked the insights in Chapter 9 on homosexuality and have recommended it to several friends. I h...more
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I was not a fan of the way this book was written, nor by some of the content in it (an entire chapter on homosexuality and some odd questions/answers or letters people have written the author). A ton of the book is filled with data, statsitics, and studies all about boys (things like the number of men in prisons, drug addictions, school studies, boys raised by one parent versus two, etc.). Boys are inherently different than girls and he goes into a lot about that. The author makes strong points...more
I am in line with mostly everything Dobson says, although I must say I was a bit discouraged to read about all of the negatives we are up against in the first half of the book! I guess I would rather remain in denial...but I know I needed to read about those issues! The book definitely made me think about how I will raise my son, and that I definitely need to first rely on God to guide us as parents. I thought the comments on schooling were interesting. They challenged my thoughts about what pat...more
I enjoyed this book because it helped me to understand my son and even husband better. I think it's a great perspective for moms of sons. One of the first chapters explains the way their brains work compared to females and how hormones at certain times of their lives also affect the way they think and act, etc. he gave some advice on how to handle things that are just boy behaviors and not naughty which has helped me a lot. However, there were things I didn't agree with and won't be following al...more
I wavered between giving it one and two stars but decided that the hands-on advice about how to be the rudder to the crazy speedboat that is "boy" was pretty useful. How to be an authority and not wishy-washy. Not being afraid to be a parent versus a friend. These things I agree with.
There are a lot of studies cited, but even more Bible Scripture. That really watered it down for me. At the end he goes as far as to say that the only way to live a truly fulfilling and whole life is by accepting a...more
There are a lot of studies cited, but even more Bible Scripture. That really watered it down for me. At the end he goes as far as to say that the only way to live a truly fulfilling and whole life is by accepting a...more
While I did not agree with everything, I greatly appreciated the advice given by Dr. James Dobson. When raising boys, it is extremely important for the father to be not only a good role model, but also an active participant in the life of the child. This is not to relegate the mother to the sidelines. The entire family must grow up together. The parents, together as a united front, must have the boys' best interest in mind. The parents must be vigilant to protect them from the many different pre...more
Nov 27, 2010
James Seawel
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
spirituality-faith
I appreciate that Dr. Dobson tackled such a relevant and important topic. His book consists of a tremendous amount of research and there are innumerable helpful insights. I freely admit my bias that I am considerably to the left of Dr. Dobson, socially and politically, and this is why I had resisted reading his book for so long. However, as a Christian counselor who specializes in treatment with adolescent boys, I stifled my pride and read Bringing up Boys. It was both a good and a bad decision...more
Though some of his language and anecdotes are a little dated, this is overall a very thoughtful book. I was hoping for more practical advice, though there are tidbits sprinkled throughout the book.
I don't think it deserves much of the negative criticism I read in some of the other reviews - he never says he "hates" anyone; there is very little discussion of punitive discipline and he balances any mention with the reminder to discipline in love; he does not think a woman is less of a mom if she...more
I don't think it deserves much of the negative criticism I read in some of the other reviews - he never says he "hates" anyone; there is very little discussion of punitive discipline and he balances any mention with the reminder to discipline in love; he does not think a woman is less of a mom if she...more
Excellent defense of everything boy. Opens with great examples of ways in which boys and girls differ and why that is and why it matters.
Dobson understands the problems boys face in school, particularly, and why the institution is inherently feminized, not because so many teachers are female, but because schools cater to female strengths, like sitting still and working with fingers, rather than larger movements and more active pursuits. And Dobson does not argue that any of that is wrong--it's j...more
Dobson understands the problems boys face in school, particularly, and why the institution is inherently feminized, not because so many teachers are female, but because schools cater to female strengths, like sitting still and working with fingers, rather than larger movements and more active pursuits. And Dobson does not argue that any of that is wrong--it's j...more
This is absolutely one of the most influential books I've ever read. Make no mistake, Dobson is EXTREMELY conservative, even for me, and I'm pretty right leaning. However, much of what he said, not just about boys, but about society in general, rings true. There are chapters on the degeneration of society and mini history lessons about things you've always heard of, but weren't alive for or old enough to understand the ramifications -- like the feminist movement, postmodernism, the rise of the p...more
I decided to read this book to gain insight on raising a son in a world that constantly innundates our kids with violence, sex, drugs, and other negative things. I really didn't get much out of this book. Most of the advice in this book are sheer common sense. I did, however, enjoy the chapters on the biological differences in boys and girls. The book focused a lot on the important role fathers play in raising sons. The chapter on the mom's role was pretty skimpy and didn't offer much advice for...more
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James C. Dobson is a psychologist, commentator, and writer. He is the founder of Focus on the Family, a group advocating what he views as Christian ethics and political conservatism, and hosts a radio program of the same name.
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“One of the scariest aspects of raising boys is their tendency to risk life and limb for no good reason.”
—
5 people liked it
“Mothers and fathers are expected to screen virtually every aspect of their children's lives. ..."Parents," she notes, "see themselves in a struggle for the hearts and minds of their own children." It isn't that they can't say no. It's that there's so much more to say no to.”
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1 person liked it
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