As a mother of two boys myself, any book that advises me to ensure that they grow up to be more masculine (as if that is desirable) goes straight to the DNR pile. I want my children to become loving and kind men, not misogynistic assholes who wouldn't recognize an emotion if it hit them over the head with a four by four.

Raising boys in a loving environment and letting them play with non-gender specific toys doesn't make them gay, Dr. Dobson.

This book brought up a lot of things that I need to consider as I bring up a son- from his education, to discipline, to his exposure to negative media, etc. However, the book was a bit alarmist to me. Dr. Dobson's strong opinions sprinkled with statistics often filled me with discouragement about my ability to successfully raise my son in such a dysfunctional world. Thankfully, he would always come back to the reassurance that we're not in this alone but have God to give us strength and guidance.

In a world where people actually believe that masculinity is toxic, this is a must read for any parents who want to raise strong, confident, responsible, independent thinking gentlemen. Gentlemen who understand the difference between masculinity and being macho. And yes, there IS a difference.

If you're raising a non-binary, soy drinking, emo or girly-man, this is NOT the book for you.

I picked this book up to see if it might give me some insight into raising my little boy! The book was a little dry at times and there were things I agreed with and some things that bothered me. The things I agreed on that boys ARE different from girls - they play rougher, they can turn anything into a gun or a sword (even if there are none of these toys in the house. It is amazing how a paper towel tube can be a sword or a block can be a gun. Where do boys pick up these things from non-violent homes? Dobson believes it is in their genes and I agree now that I have a little boy.)and they aren't always ready to start school when they are old enough to go to preschool or kindergarten. I was a little upset that Dobson advises that all boys be home-schooled until they are about 9 years old. I do agree that schools are more geared towards girls with sitting still, listening quietly, and using fine motor skills, but I don't feel keeping them out of the classroom is the answer. There are many wonderful homeschoolers out there, but there are also children who are not being taught well at home and are deprived of critical skills in their early years that a trained teacher could provide. Parents who are up to the challenge of homeschooling can make that choice, but to say ALL parents should do it is not fair - some parents do not have the patience or ability to make learning fun for their children. I was a public school teacher for 8 years before having my children and I had a student who was home-schooled for a year because his mother did not like his fourth grade teacher. This mother had no clue what learning involved and when she sent her child to school the following year, he was far behind the other children. The other thing that bothered me about this book was that the author was critical of working mothers. Dobson stated that he knew some mothers had to work for financial or personal reasons, but he painted a bleak picture for these children. As mothers we already worry so much about our children and feel guilty about so much that this is one more stress for working mothers. I am fortunate that I am a SAHM, but my heart felt heavy for my mommy friends who do work - how would this book make them feel?
Informative book, but one must take it with a grain of salt and take what they need for their child and leave the rest.