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42 reviews for:
Strong Mothers, Strong Sons: Lessons Mothers Need to Raise Extraordinary Men
Meg Meeker
3.58 AVERAGE
42 reviews for:
Strong Mothers, Strong Sons: Lessons Mothers Need to Raise Extraordinary Men
Meg Meeker
3.58 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
I don't agree with everything she said but some of it and will probably re-read it when Sully is older because her advice for teen boys seems good to me.
I took many notes on what I read in this book. I love the message that I am raising a son to become an extraordinary man. I took things that I feel like will eventually help me as I navigate this trying period with a young 5 year old boy. Hopefully, it will make a difference. There was a lot of great stuff, but I walked away knowing it wasn't one of those books that I would recommend to everyone and their dog.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
It was so heavy handed with stereotype and crap about how men can't communicate with their mothers through words or physical affection. What? Maybe in your gender binary religious world, but not in my open-minded one. I couldn't listen to any more of the condescending treatment of young men.
slow-paced
I saw this book mentioned several times in mom groups, so I was curious. As a therapist, I am confused why a medical doctor wrote a book about how to parent boys for their mental, emotional, and spiritual health. The main points were not significant: Listen to your son, teach him how to communicate and bond, help build his self-esteem. A lot it was also way too faith-focused for me.
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
Good read through, lots of great points. Spend time with your children, talk to them, teach them responsibility, how to love, acceptance, ask them questions to help them make choices
Overall, I thought there were some good tips, but this woman is definitely not “woke” and it seems that this book intentionally enforces gender role stereotypes that I’m trying to avoid in my family. I also just skimmed the whole chapter on God, because that is not what makes me a strong mom. I’m also concerned that the author seems to be a big sex Ed advocate and speaker but uses language that teens are “making it” with other teens. I feel like that’s something my grandmother might have said, but I’ve never heard in the vernacular of a teenager (and I taught in junior high and high school).
I only got 70% of the way through this book. I really tried to finish it but got progressively more uncomfortable with the perspectives of childhood development in XY individuals by this pediatrician. I honestly think that this book is dated, that her advice is specific to an earlier generation of mothers. First of, she’s incredibly judgey towards women, for example, she proclaims that most women focus too much on exercising or cooking organic food than to play with their sons, when in reality, most women are trying to maintain their full time job and fulfill the needs that need to be met physically to meet just the first hierarchy of needs (clean house, good food, clean clothes..) so what if a mom wants to exercise?! Cut her some slack if she needs to do something for herself, I think it’s important for boys to have role models of women taking care of themselves rather than constantly putting everyone else ahead of themselves.
She also recommends that single mothers find a role model.. like a priest.. to take their sons on solo trips. IS SHE FOR REAL?! As a pediatrician I would think she would know better than to make recommendations such as this.
I do appreciate how she gives anecdotal stories about mothers who felt something was wrong with their sons but had a hard time getting their sons to open up. The advice to just be there physically and remind them constantly that they can talk to you seems to be some excellent advice.
Also, her advice to create rituals really inspired me to implement a nightly wrestling session to end the day with my sons and it’s been a highlight of their days.
So while most of it was terrible, I still go some great pearls.
She also recommends that single mothers find a role model.. like a priest.. to take their sons on solo trips. IS SHE FOR REAL?! As a pediatrician I would think she would know better than to make recommendations such as this.
I do appreciate how she gives anecdotal stories about mothers who felt something was wrong with their sons but had a hard time getting their sons to open up. The advice to just be there physically and remind them constantly that they can talk to you seems to be some excellent advice.
Also, her advice to create rituals really inspired me to implement a nightly wrestling session to end the day with my sons and it’s been a highlight of their days.
So while most of it was terrible, I still go some great pearls.