recommended this book to me.
i'm always interested in a good book recommendation,
and since this one came from a mom who i look up to,
{her teenager is so sweet}, i had to pick it up. i'm so glad i
did because it's been by far, the best parenting book i've read.
raising children is challenging.
when they are little, the challenges are small - our job is pretty easy -
we keep our kids safe, are consistent with nap/bedtimes, teeth rushing,
redirecting, etc. that's the easy stuff.
as kids grow and become more complex...the hard stuff begins.
the physical demands are less, but the emotionally demands are higher.
the stakes are higher now. alot of parents, including my own, believe the
adolescent years are the most challenging. i imagine they are so i was
thrilled to find this book covers not just those years, but the entire spectrum -
from the toddler years through the college years.
i love that the authors, with 5 sons between them, have the practical experience
in parenting, and bring the clinical experience which is a prefect combination.
in a nutshell, the book breaks boyhood down into different stages/ages and goes
through each group thoroughly. scout is in the lover's stage {ages 5-7}, and finn
falls in the individual stage, {ages 9-12}. as i read about these ages, it was as if the
authors knew my sons so well...like they had peeked into their minds and reported
back to me and then told me even more.
this fantastic book has lived on my nightstand for over a year and i reference it often,
and will continue to for years to come. it's a must read for anyone who wants to help
understand and help a boy in his journey to adulthood.
i'll end with a wonderful quote from the book:
boys do not need to be tamed, they need to be first understood,
and then, embraced and enjoyed.
