I review for BookSneeze

Friday, January 24, 2014

Review for "Raising Boys By Design" by Gregory L. Jantz and Michael Gurian

"Raising Boys By Design" by Gregory L. Jantz and Micheal Gurian. For parents who want to raise their boys in a Christlike, sensitive, intelligent way, this book provides a wealth of knowledge! Boys differ from girls in some specific and scientific ways and being aware of these differences can improve the way we relate to our boys. Unfortunately, society and our educational system do not always understand these differences, and try to squeeze boys into a mold they were not made to fit. Jantz and Gurian explore the science and then spend several chapters suggesting practical ways to apply the knowledge. The authors use the acronym HERO to highlight four necessary values for a boy's development: Honor, Enterprise, Responsibility,and Originality. Some of the topics addressed include character, emotions, sexuality, technology and media, and school skills. As a mom, I especially enjoyed the chapters explaining the different emotional and developmental learning that a boy gets from his mom versus his dad. I appreciated hearing how my son is wired differently for processing emotions than I am, and learned some strategies for effectively communicating with him - including letting him be quiet, talking while he is active, and not expecting him to use as many words as I would. The book is an accessible read although I would not say "easy." The suggestions are practical but would take a great deal of time to implement, including journaling and notetaking on behavior for weeks. Still, I found the discussion helpful and took away several nuggets that my husband and I can use in raising our son more intelligently. 3.5 out of 5 stars. I received a complimentary copy of the book from Waterbook Multnomah Publishers for purposes of review, and am not required to give a positive review.

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