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Posted
September 23, 2003
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Bringing Up BOYS
By Dr. James Dobson
Wheaton, Illinois:Tyndale House Publishers:2001
Reviewed by Lon Woodbury
Bringing Up BOYS is written by Dr. Dobson who is the founder
and president of Focus on the Family, a media and educational
organization dedicated to the preservation of the home. He
draws upon his Christian and psychological training and experience
in regards to raising boys. He considers boys as the most
vulnerable victims of the crumbling family, the radical feminist
attacks on the alleged “patriarchy,” and the moral relativism
he sees predominating in postmodern thinking.
Dobson emphasizes the vital need for boys to have an active
father in their life, and the book is filled with advice
about what he sees as the best way to raise and educate boys.
He also gives specific advice for single mothers of sons,
a consequence of the increasing breakup of the institution
of marriage and family, which he views an unfortunate and
difficult but not hopeless.
With frequent references to the scripture and modern research,
the author covers what he sees as essential and very important
differences between the needs of boys and girls as they grow.
He describes how cultural criticisms of masculinity harm
boys the most, and how moral relativism has blurred the vision
that boys should acquire about the kind of man that they
should become. He asserts that when a boy does not have a
clear vision and role model for masculinity, then the process
of becoming a responsible and caring man is far more difficult
and less successful. |
