Has anyone read 'Raising Boys'?

[pebblejones]

Has anyone read "Raising Boys: Why Boys are Different - And How to Help Them Become Happy and Well-balanced Men" by Steve Biddulph?
If so, would you recommend it or are there any similar books you can recommend?
My DS is only 14 weeks but I like the idea of being prepared and understanding what needs he is going to have as a boy so I can hopefully meet them.
Pebble

Totally agree, and if you read threads with input from parents of two children of the same sex you will see that there really isn't a "boy" template and a girl "template" and how terrible it would be if there was. We are all different and unique (parents and children) and deserve to be treated as such. Writers like Biddulph just feed into sexist stereotypes and prejudices that we should be actively trying to move away from not embrace. I say that despite having children who are in a lot of ways stereotypically "girl" and "boy", because once you move away from the surface stuff there is a whole lot more to them than their gender - lots of familial traits and then lots that is just them. Oh, and the testosterone stuff is rubbish, boys have raised levels at birth and in the first few months, and then not again until puberty. Four/five years olds are just quite difficult (girls and boys) and starting school is hard for both.

I'd avoid reading any parenting books, mostly they contain the opinions/prejudices of their authors. there are some excellent histories of childcare manuals/advice, which show how faddish some of the "wisdom" offered is.

I have it, flick through it from time to time (DS is 22 months). I find some things interesting - more the physical things - and ignore others thinking "well that's not what DS is like". I have a friend who assesses children for adoption. She says the only parenting book she would recommend is "What Every PArent Needs to Know" - and gave me a copy when I was pg. Best advice of all from HV though - No one has written a book about you and your baby.

I think the other thing to remember about this book is that his work is not backed up with proper research

I haven't read any of those books, but I do remember some one here likening her ds to a labrador puppy, which with my ds2 kind of clicked [bouncy, boisterous needs lots of food and a run twice a day etc] ds1 and 3 are nothing like that, yet dd is.
Not much help I know. I agree you should just wait and see, although watching lots of skinny attractive women might not be what you need right now. [unless you are either attractive and skinny]

I read it and loved it, although some of the things he says are controversial there are also some really interesting things in there. Like any parenting book, take it with a pinch of salt - I have yet to read a parenting book that hasn't made me feel guilty about SOMETHING...
I have three brothers and a son, and a DP, and it really did explain a few things that have baffled me throughout my life. It is also a quick read - I got through it in one or two sessions - and so even if you don't like it, it is just food for though really.

I read this when my DS was just shy of 18 mths old.
www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/12/family-sons-children

I sent the article to my DH and we both agree, it's a good one. As DS gets older, he definitely loves to romp about though he does love looking at books and doing a whole range of things, and he never shuts up (probably my fault - we talk for a couple of hours a day). So you can't pigeonhole them, but on balance, I'd say the energy levels comments are spot-on. As is the surge before bed (makes mine bounce off the walls like some kind of demented powerball and take ages to calm down!)

And yes, boys do like to sit on your head!!!

Read it when boy a baby, it was interesting but that was all, must get round to rereading it now hes about to go to school as it seemed more relevant to parents of boy children rather than boy babies.

I read it, it was utter pants.

I refuse to treat my children as anything other than the human beings that they are, i will not treat them a certain way just becuase they were born with a penis.

I have read "Growing Great Boys" which I really enjoyed. It's less prescriptive than "Raising Boys" and is more in the vein of "lucky you having a lovely boy, now here's how to try to encourage his innate manliness without turning him into a violent psychopath".

I read bits out to my DH who thoroughly agreed (things like how to manage mistakes and anger, frustration etc, how to let boys make their own way and try things out and not micromanage them etc)

To be honest I probably liked it because it reinforced how I hope to be as a parent anyway. But it wasn't in the vein of "your boy is at a disadvantage" like I felt the Biddulph one was.