What A Son Needs From His Mom

I've almost finished my first NetGalley book, What a Son Needs From His Mom, by Cheri Fuller. It is categorized as both Christian and Parenting &Family and released March 15, 2013. The coincidental thing about the reading of this book is that I did it completely while on my lunch duty in a high school cafeteria. So as I read, I would look up and study a room full of teenage boys, gaining some perspective on certain points as they relate to the nature of boys.

As the title tells us, the book is about what a son needs his mother to think, feel, do, etc., to help him grow into a true man. I chose this book right away, as my son has morphed into a being I don't understand at age eight. Sometimes it's hard to know what I should and should not react to or the most effective way to communicate with him. Cheri Fuller's book is full of such advice. She pulls her advice from her experience as a mother of sons, grandsons, and a large survey of men of all ages. With the advice comes examples of how she's seen it play out in her life and the lives of those around her. 

Not only does she talk about how moms can nurture their son's confidence and emotions, but she also addresses the things moms need to keep under control in order to allow their son to grow. Fear and over protection are among the top that stunt a young boy's growth. (And I'd say that goes for girls too.) She includes stories of good intentions with less than favorable results, which validate her advice and the testimonies of the men surveyed.

Unlike other Christian parenting books I've read, Fuller branches out into schooling with discussion on learning styles and helping your son find his strengths as well as how he learns best, as to help his weaknesses. This is an important topic because America's current school system really does work against most boys' styles of learning. The most successful students are those with involved parents and boys often need more understanding of how they learn, which a parent would see best.

Overall, the book was full of helpful advice. Although it's never too late to start connecting with your son, I think I found it at an opportune time.

Any tried and true advice about raising boys?