Strong mothers, strong sons Lessons mothers need to raise extraordinary men

Margaret J. Meeker

Sound recording - 2014

"Meg Meeker, M.D., acclaimed author of Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters, now turns to an equally powerful relationship in the family: the one between mother and son. From the moment a mother holds her newborn son, his eyes tell her that she is his world. But often, as he grows up, the boy who needs her simultaneously pushes her away. Calling upon thirty years of experience as a pediatrician, Meg Meeker, M.D., a highly sought after national speaker, assistant professor of clinical medicine, ...and mother of four, shares the secrets that every mother needs to know in order to strengthen--or rebuild--her relationship with her son. Boys today face unique challenges and pressures, and the burden on mothers to guide their boys through them can feel overwhelming. This empowering book offers a road map to help mothers find the strength and confidence to raise extraordinary sons by providing encouragement, education, and practical advice about the need for mothers to exercise courage and be bolder and more confident about advising and directing their boys the crucial role mothers play in expressing love to sons in healthy ways so they learn to respect and appreciate women as they grow up the importance of teaching sons about the values of hard work, community service, and a well-developed inner life the natural traps mothers of boys often fall into--and how to avoid them the need for a mother to heal her own wounds with the men in her life so she can raise her son without baggage and limitations the best ways to survive the moments when the going gets tough and a mom's natural ways of communicating--talking, analyzing, exploring--only fuel the fire When a mother holds her baby boy for the first time, she also instinctively knows something else: If she does her job right and raises her son with self-esteem, support, and wisdom, he will become the man she knows he was meant to be. PRAISE FOR MEG MEEKER, M.D. Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters "Dr. Meeker's conclusions are timely, relevant, and often deeply moving. No one interested in what girls experience growing up in our culture today--and the impact that parents, especially fathers, have on the experience--can afford to miss reading this book."--Armand M. Nicholi, Jr., M.D., professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School "Reassuring and challenging. a helpful road map for concerned fathers [that] tackles difficult issues."--National Review Boys Should Be Boys "If you want to raise a boy you'll be proud of, read Boys Should Be Boys."--Dave Ramsey, author of The Total Money Makeover "Filled with inspirational vignettes, Boys Should Be Boys empowers parents to stay involved and protect their sons' innocence. It's a wonderfully written and eye-opening book--a must-read."--Neil Bernstein, Ph.D., author of There When He Needs You The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers "Offers practical ways to help you let go of 'mom guilt' in order to become a happier, healthier woman."--Parent & Child "Just about any mom, or dad, can find useful wisdom in this book."--Associated Press"--

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Subjects
Published
[Old Saybrook, Ct.] : Tantor Media, Inc p2014.
Edition
Unabridged
Language
English
Physical Description
11 audio discs (approximately 13 hours) : digital ; 4 3/4 in
ISBN
9781452649665
Main Author
Margaret J. Meeker (-)
Corporate Author
Tantor Media, Inc (-)
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Aimed at mothers of sons of all ages, Meeker's (Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters) latest self-help manual takes multiple, not always cohesive, approaches to navigating the parent-child gender divide. While some statistically founded male-female differences, such as general deviations in communication style, are included, the author makes unexplained assertions that men and women are basically positioned to misunderstand one another. Meeker's contentions that every boy will feel threatened by the emotional attachment he has to his mother and that nothing is more important to a son than a solid relationship with his father are to be accepted as absolutes with no mention of the underpinning of data. Even though the "boy code" that triggers many boys' emotional off-switch is credited largely to social factors, mothers are said to be naturally more in tune with a son's needs. When we are offered a glimpse of why it is mothers are "wired" for more sensitive communication, the reasoning is imprecise. Meeker's points about egocentricism precluding children from truly empathizing with adults' emotions are some of the most clearly delineated in the book. Whereas in other places her line of thinking is less clear with claims that either unsubstantiated or appear out of the blue, such as when Meeker firmly asserts that religious faith in God makes it "far easier" to instil hope in your son. While it contains notable anecdotes and nuggets of advice few would question-such as to keep yourself emotionally healthy so you can nurture your kids-the manual relies heavily on underdeveloped theories on the strict, troublesome gender differences between essentially all mothers and sons. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Review by Kirkus Book Review

How women can raise boys to become good men. More than ever, women are under pressure to be "everything to everyone," writes Meeker (The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming Our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity, 2010, etc.), as "working women feel that they must perform equally well both in the office and in caring for their home, husband, and children." The dynamics of raising boys is especially difficult for women due to the gender difference and the fact that women tend to be nurturing and helpful while allowing their sons to evolve into men in a constantly shifting masculine paradigm. Through research and interviews from her own practice, Meeker gives women the necessary tools to understand that perfection is not a realistic goal but that doing the best one can will ensure good results. Equally useful to single mothers and women with husbands is the advice that sons need to know they are loved from a very young age, as this builds a foundation of confidence in a child, a base that allows a boy to gradually move away from his mother as he interacts with male peers and elders. A boy's home life must be solid: a safe haven to return to regardless of his age, a place where his thoughts and feelings are respected and where he can express his hopes and dreams without fear of judgment. Meeker recommends introducing boys to religion, prayer and the unconditional love that comes from having a strong faith to boost self-confidence. She also skillfully navigates the world of sexfrom a boy's first body awareness to the powerful effects of pornography and sexual messages embedded in social media, video games and news media, to his interactions in the world of girls and women. A mother's imprint on her son is powerful right from birth and remains so throughout her son's life. Meeker's advice gives women the tools to navigate these often rocky waters with confidence. Solid, practical advice for women on how to properly nurture their sons.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.