Customer Reviews
Review for "Bringing Up Boys" by James Dobson 
2008-09-13
I'm not completely finished reading this book yet, but it has had some good information about boys. I do think Dr. Dobson spends a too much time on the feminist movement of the 70s and how it has impacted boys/men. He seems to go on and on about this rather than focusing on how to best raise our boys. As I said, I'm not done with the book, but got a little disinterested and set it aside because of the above.
if you have no other resource.... 
2008-09-05
I read this about 5 years ago (or so). I have 5 kids- 2 boys and I run a boys club at our kids school (club is for boys ages 5-15).
This book lacks a lot. It's really just poorly named. It should be entitled, "Being a parent in today's world," or something like that.
I can't say what other book I would recommend, but I'll just say that this book didn't offer much real substance on HOW to bring up boys.
How do you deal with boys of different temperments? How do you teach different virtues to boys (diligence, purity, courage, etc.)? What should you do as a Mom? or as a Dad? What is different about raising 5 year olds from 15 year olds?
This book really just makes the case for WHY you need to be a good parent.
I enjoy Dr. Dobson- and I used to listen to him religiously. The only reason I stopped was because I discovered talk radio.
But despite the respect I have for Dr. Dobson, I don't recommend this book.
A must have for parents with boys! 
2008-09-05
For every parent with boys, this book is a must read! Dr. James Dobson brilliantly discusses the challenges boys face in this world and how we as parents should deal with and handle our boys. The future of our young men is so important, and Dr. James Dobson educates the reader on how to help grow our boys into strong, respectful, spiritual men.
Virulent Anti-Gay and Homophobic 
2008-09-01
I was gifted with this book and after 20 pages I could not take it anymore. I love and respect the person that gave it to me...but it insulted my intelligence so much that I finally just put it in the heap (where it belongs).
It is totally UN-informative on raising a young man in today's world, and instead filled with Dobson's perverse and vitriolic disgust with anyone who is a not a squeaky clean Christian (which of course we know Dobson must be!!!) It's basically a gay-bashing and/or single parenting-bashing treatise.
Stay away from the fire and brimstone and seek out some real, intelligent dialogue on being a father, dad, mentor to today's young men.
A valuable parenting resource 2008-07-23
As a new dad, I found this book to be an extremely helpful resource. Dobson covers numerous relevant topics and provides fresh, practical ideas. I will certainly be coming back to this book over the ensuing years as my son grows. Highly recommended for dads, moms and grandparents.
Bias and conditional acceptance 2008-07-18
2002 Gold Medallion Award winner! Sensible advice and caring encouragement on raising boys from the nation's most trusted parenting expert, Dr.James Dobson. With so much confusion about the role of men in our society, it's no wonder so many parents and teachers are at a loss about how to bring up boys. Our culture has vilified masculinity and, as a result, boys are suffering. Parents, teachers, and others involved in shaping the character of boys have lots of questions. In
Bringing Up Boys, Dr. Dobson tackles these questions and offers advice and encouragement based on a firm foundation of biblical principles.
Boys don't stand a chance 2008-07-01
This book should be named Boys don't stand a chance. This is the worst book I ever read. I didn't even finish it. The more I read the madder I got. This book had nothing to do with raising boys. It is a very negative book about how boys do not have a chance. I was very disappointed. I thought I was going to learn how to be a better father. If there was anything in the book about that, I must have missed it. I was very disappointed. I think Mr. Dobson should keep his opinions to himself.
It's going in the trash! 2008-06-13
How about we all just accept our boys for the beautiful, unique people they are! Don't waste your time or money with this book.
Awesome!!! Would recommend this to anyone w/ boys or a husband! 2008-06-05
With one little boy already in our family & another on the way I looked into getting this book. I was able to read a few pages online & I didn't want to stop reading once the sample pages ended! The info I read said it was very helpful in understanding boys & possibly helping to understand what makes your husband tick also. They were right! I bought the audio book thinking there was no way I'd be able to just sit around & read, but I could definitely listen while I was driving around town running errands. I'm glad I did...I've already listened to 4 of the cds & they have amazing info in them on the differences between males & females, the importance of both mothers & fathers in a child's life, discipline & so much more! I would highly recommend this book or audiobook/cds to anyone with boys or a husband!!!
A frightening read... 2008-05-23
This book was given to my wife and I as a baby "gift". I didn't know whether to laugh or run screaming when I read it, quite honestly. I'm sure the people who gave it to us were well-meaning, but now I understand why their family is so screwed up. They buy into stuff like this!
Dobson is a man scared of anything outside of his little white, Christian bubble of existence. From page 203: "Dogging the young like hungry wolves are predators who would exploit them for financial gain, including drug pushers, unprincipled movie and television producers, sex abusers, abortion providers, heavy-metal freaks, and now, those who inhabit the Internet." I think it's hilarious how he chooses to lump them all together. There's a big difference between being a sex abuser and an abortion provider, as common sense would dictate. As for those heavy-metal "freaks" - I'm one of 'em, and I've been in public education for a decade now. Kids love the fact that I like the same music they're into, and they actually work harder in my classes because they relate to me! And don't worry, I'm not filling their impressionable young minds full of smut and Satan. We stick to math and science, thank you very much. Whoever awarded Dobson his Ph.D. in child development ought to reconsider their decision. He's way out of touch.
As for all those sex abusers out there, the only pedophile I've ever personally knew of was associated with the Cub Scouts. Oh, and let's not forget about all those Catholic priests who like little boys...
Dobson also has all kinds of ideas on how to "prevent" your son from becoming "one of those homosexuals that won't go to heaven when they die." It's intolerance like this that makes life so difficult for so many people who don't fit into those neat little boxes that the ultra-religious prescribe for everyone. Why can't you just let people be? There are plenty of gay people who have healthy relationships with their parents. There are plenty of gay parents who have healthy relationships with their kids. If Dobson weren't afraid of his own shadow, maybe he'd learn a few things about reality. He's too "focused on the family", apparently...
Don't even get me started on Dobson's whole God-fearing spiel. His self-righteousness is amazing. Let's not forget how much pain and suffering has occurred on this planet thanks to religion. It's pretty hard to advance as a species when we still rely on fairy-tales to scare people into doing the "right" thing, or when we kill each other because we don't believe in the same myths.
Live and let live, and unless you're hurting someone else, what's the big deal? I'm not too worried about raising my sons. I'm more worried about the sick close-mindedness of the people who produce this propaganda. I'll take my kids to a Judas Priest concert before I ever let them near the Bible-thumpers who knock on our door Sunday morning, trying to "save" us...
