Strong Mothers, Strong Sons

Publisher's Summary

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, MD, 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.

©2014 Meg Meeker, M.D. (P)2014 Tantor

If only I had this in 2006!!

This book is a great resource for a "mom's life tool box." Although my son is 18 as I read this book, I still felt that the content gave me useful insight and an understanding of what boys need from their moms. Dr. Meekers has an engaging style of writing, it isn't at all over our heads nor is it "clinical" in its approach. While I am not overly enthusiastic about the narrator for the audible presentation, it is more than adequate.
I was especially helped by Dr. Meekers explanation of the importance that the affirmation of other men has in the lives of our boys. I believe that no singular man is going to provide everything for (even with a great dad) our boys. The more good men our boys have in their lives the better they will be.
Of course the section on letting go was especially relevant as I approach my son's graduation and the realities of young adulthood and all of the decisions and changes included in that transition.
"Strong mother's" should be on the required reading list for mom's of boys 11-13 years old, even if it is to determine that you already knew everything she said. If your son is at the end of senior high, it may still be helpful to see some of what makes our young man "tick" if it still eludes you.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Absolutely love this book, strongly recommend!

All Meg's parenting publications are a breeze to read or listen through, and her perspective on parenting and explanation of ins and outs of being a successful parent and raising highly functioning adults is beyond amazing. Read it, you'll know what I mean.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Comprehensive mommy book

Everything you need to know as the mother of a boy!! She covers things I hadn't even thought about and I was almost in tears at the end, thinking of the day I need to say goodbye to my little boy. I'm sure I will reference this book a lot over the years.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Awesome, simply awesome!

I cannot explain with simple words how much this book moved me, made me think, changed me and change my relationship with my son.... I heard the audio book with my husband and changed not only me but him SO MUCH thanks Dr Meeker from the bottom of our hearts, I was working so hard to be a good mom and my life was spinning around my kids and without knowing I was hurting them! God used your book to show me so many things, I can breath better now, I never cried and was relieved at the same time Thank you! I am starting the book again now :)

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Mother of two boys, but not her audience.

I love reading parenting books. As a single mother, I know I can always do better. This book is very clearly directed towards an older generation or more conventional parents. The information is very basic.

6 of 10 people found this review helpful

Update of wording in your book is required

I think you should make your book open to all mothers and sons, not just the ones with "the pink, squirming flesh entering our arms" as stated in your first chapter. Although it seems to be an insightful book and I still may read it, hearing that at the very beginning of your book negatively affected me. Mothers of beautiful brown babies also experience the same or similar trials of motherhood.

10 of 18 people found this review helpful

Essential Information, For BOYMOMS of all ages!

Cannot recommend more, if you have a son- you must read/listen to this! It absolutely changed my mindset and made me a better mom.

Great Book

it was very long, but had so much great information. I highly recommend any mom raising boys read this!

Wallywoggles8

I loved this but needed it also 35 years ago . However I learned so much about boys from the book. It is helping me with my grandsons and I feel a better understanding of my husband . The only criticism is the voice used to record it became very boorish . Hard to listen to .... but I did . Thanks I have recommended it to several people.

very valuable

I was very plesantly surprised to find a lot of answers to my worries an learn the situations me and my son were not so uncommon. I wish I found this advices many years earlier.