Boy Mom

What Your Son Needs Most from You

By: Monica Swanson, Wendy Speake

Narrated by: Monica Swanson, Donna Allen

Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

This guidebook, packed with wisdom, practical advice, resources, and encouragement, explores how moms can equip their sons with what they most need to succeed in life. 

Monica Swanson knew she'd tapped a heartfelt concern when nearly two million readers shared her blog post, "What a Teenage Boy Needs Most from His Mom". In this helpful audiobook, she takes mothers deeper into the insights they need for the boy-raising journey, covering topics from dealing with the daily influences of friends and technology to helping a boy grow to be physically, spiritually, and emotionally healthy. She also addresses learning and finding passions, perspectives on relationships and dating, and work ethics and money management. Each chapter features relatable stories, handy checklists, and practical advice based on a combination of research, experience, and biblical truth to guide and equip a mom in helping her son achieve his God-given potential.

Praise for Boy Mom

"In Boy Mom Monica Swanson offers readers practical advice and resounding hope that parenting our sons well through all seasons is not only possible but also enjoyable. This book is like an essential trail guide that I’ll refer to again and again in the beautiful and challenging adventure of motherhood." (Becky Keife, author of No Better Mom for the Job and mom of three spirited boys)

"Monica Swanson is the friend we all need in our lives: humble, straightforward, warm, full of wisdom, and short on nonsense - and she knows her stuff like no one else. In Boy Mom she holds the bar high yet is forthcoming about her own struggles and imperfections. Inside these pages you’ll find deeply rooted biblical and practical advice along with calls to action when you don’t know where to start. The Boy Mom Manifesto at the end will not only inspire you but also make your heart swell." (Kate Merrick, author of Here, Now: Unearthing Peace and Presence in an Overconnected World)

"Monica Swanson is the ultimate Boy Mom mentor. While her perspective on parenting is grounded in biblical wisdom, each chapter holds excellent practical tools for how to work out that wisdom on a daily basis in our homes. Of course, we know there aren’t formulas that will ensure we get it all right, but we also know that gleaning wisdom from women who have gone before us (and are still in the trenches with us) is invaluable in the wonderful adventure of helping boys become all God created them to be." (Jeannie Cunnion, author of Mom Set Free)

©2019 Monica Swanson and Wendy Speake (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

"Boy Mom is packed with relevant insights and practical advice to help parents intentionally raise young men of character, honor, and strength. Parents today face unprecedented challenges, and Monica’s heartfelt encouragement as a mom in the trenches is timely for a generation that longs for moral direction." (Kari Kampakis, mom of four girls and author of 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know)

"All who are parents, especially Boy Moms, will devour this book! Monica Swanson shares from her experience of raising four boys. Her transparency, candor, tears, and prayers have led to a book full of wisdom and incredible insight into what a boy needs to reach his destiny." (Stephanie Fast, fellow Boy Mom, author of She Is Mine, speaker, and advocate for vulnerable children)

"Every time I told my dad I was pregnant with another boy, he responded with ‘That’s wonderful! The world needs more godly men.’ I couldn’t agree more. Thankfully, Monica has written a guide to help you partner with God to raise these needed men of character. In the pages of Boy Mom, you will find a wise mentor who understands the challenge of energetic boys and points you to truth and resources to help you be the kind of Boy Mom you want to be." (Heather MacFadyen, mom of four boys and creator and host of the Don’t Mom Alone podcast)

Listened so long to get out so... little

I don't know where to start out with this review. I really wanted to like this book but instead I felt like I was being preached to by one of those know it all moms who doesn't really KNOW it all. Monica Swanson is a mom, and I guess I should have just taken this book at face value as just a mom sharing her experience. She is in no way an expert on children. She claims that she has stacks of information on childhood mental and emotional development yet when it comes to talking about her older sons' childhoods, she states that she was a yeller and a spanker... wait, what? I came to this book looking for ways NOT to resort to those tactics.
Actually, I think that's the main issue I have with this book. There's really no guidance on how to deal with real everyday issues such as your kids acting out, bedtime battles, homework troubles... all she says is "find out what your kid enjoys most and take it away as punishment". What about dealing with mom-guilt or pressure? Nothing on that, maybe just "read the scripture".
That brings me to the next point: Her book is heavily focused on christianity and scripture. Nothing wrong with that, the scripture does provide guidance but it's also up to interpretation to each person or study group. She uses scripture interpreted her way it to justify pretty much everything she does. Not to harp on the spanking but her way of justifying her form of discipline is "scripture tells you to discipline your children" and "we're ok with our way, I don't want to start a debate".
Here are things I agree with:
- get your kids outside as much as possible
- install all forms of internet monitoring
- if your son can't find a healthy physical outlet for his energy he'll find it in video games
What I don't agree with is micromanaging every aspect of your child's life, only allowing to congregate with like minded individuals and involved in mostly church related activities. She admits she had an unhealthy relationship with food and expertise in the past and I just feel like she just transferred that controlling neuroticism to being a mother.
This was irritating at best.

Must read for moms. Very inspiring.

Full disclosure... this is the first book review I’ve ever taken the time to write. I am reviewing this book because I feel compelled to support this amazing author, Monica Swanson. I’ve followed her blog for some time now. Years back I read an article she wrote, that a friend shared on Facebook, and I was so moved by it. I found her blog and read just about all of her posts over the course of the next few days. Although we’ve never met- I feel as though she has become a friend. Monica has inspired me in so many ways to be a healthier person, a better wife, more intentional mother and better overall human. She exemplifies the type of mother I strive to be. You can imagine my excitement when I found out she was publishing the book “Boy mom.” I would highly recommend this book to any mom in the midst of raising children. She gives so much tactical advice and heartfelt stories of her experiences over the years raising her 4 boys. She’s a devout Christian and is raising her boys with strong moral character, which is very difficult in today’s society. She is happily married, living in Hawaii, homeschooling her boys- while running them to youth group, surfing and all sorts of activities. I can relate to so much of what she discusses about parenting challenges. I will take all the advice I can get from a mom who has been through the trenches and is finally seeing the fruits of her labor. She imparts lots of practical wisdom that can only help us moms be more intentional in our parenting. She makes you feel like you’re sitting down with her having a cup of coffee discussing all the things we face as moms/parents. The book is an easy read (or listen which is my preference). There were so many great topics she hit on. I hope to re-read this book again down the road. It’s a must read for any boy (or girl) mom. I highly recommend you follow her on social media as well. You won’t regret it. I’m going to check out her new podcast and I’m excited see what other great things she’ll be doing in the future.

Not for me, and that's okay

I have an energetic little boy, and as a dad, I'm always looking for strategies to help. I was surprised, then, to feel like this book didn't offer me a whole lot. And maybe it shouldn't - it IS called BoyMom, not BoyDad - but I thought maybe there would be enough universality to the methods discussed to help everyone out. Instead, I felt this book leaned in almost exclusively to traditional parenting roles (and especially to the irreplaceable bond between boys and moms).

Also while I have no issue with religion or the role it can play in parenting, religion is not a focus of mine, so I felt like there was a LARGE portion of the book that just didn't pertain to me.

Clearly this book offers a lot to some people, especially religious moms of teenagers. But for a dad who doesn't live a religious life, I didn't get as much out of this book as I had hoped. It is one of the few audiobooks I regret having purchased.

Loved it!!

As a mom of two young boys this book spoke to me and gave me so many resources and great advice. I will be reading this over and over as my boys grow into young men. I could not stop listening it was just so good!

Love this book!

Great, solid, biblical advice. Whish I heard this earlier when my boy was still young.

Great direction for raising boys in this world!

I LOVED the links for print outs, so great for continuing raising my boys in this age!

Great Book!

I loved this book! You can tell Monica wrote the book from her heart! Her experiences raising 4 young men who respect her and their family is very inspiring. I have always admired her and the inspiration she has bestowed through the years. This book is narrated by the author and she did a fantastic job!

One of the best parenting resources

Absolutely LOVED this book! So much helpful information, such an excellent parenting resource for all parents, not just boy moms :)
Could not recommend it enough!

great book for boy moms!

I have a very, very active strong willed child and this book gave me a very good insite on how to lead him into his future

Not for me

I’m sure it’s good for some moms, but it wasn’t for me. I didn’t like it.

Bite sized wisdom, great reminders

A couple of new seeds planted for my parenting. Loved the practical tools and tips for daily parenting, but with the long term goal in mind. Many important points for reflection on what you are or aren't doing or thinking about - thus the next day you do make a renewed effort to take a breath, parent a little differently, try a new approach, sit a moment longer, pray for them again. The kind of book that you can return to again and again as your children reach new phases and you need inspiration to help guide and shape them getting them ready for adulthood.