Thank you to all of you that participated in the book discussion...via email, blog or in person. I apologize for not getting around to posting the last 3 discussions. After finishing Chapter 14, I felt the need to cut down on my computer time in order to spend some quality time with my kiddos before the school year started. Our mornings together were more intentional, with lots of puzzles, music, reading, playing and giggling.
I hope that you enjoyed reading the book and were encouraged in this journey called motherhood! I really enjoyed and looked forward to our meetings together. May God bless you as you continue praying your way through each day, and trying to be the best mom you can be!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Chapters 11 & 12
Chapter 11 covered the inner need of boys to compete, and the emotions involved in playing, or not being picked to a play, a sport. It was a call to encourage your child to play his best, to grow in his endeavors, and to be a supportive voice from the sidelines (for your own kid, other kids, and even coaches and refs). Although this chapter didn't seem to foster lots of discussion among us, it was a good reminder of the potential heartbreak it can be to a kid to not make a team, or not play a sport as well as a brother, classmate, or, worse yet, a girl.
Chapter 12 was a much more thought provoking chapter (well, according to those of us there last night). The chapter really focused in on the male-bashing that happens on a daily basis that is socially acceptable. Dr. Dobson is careful to state (a couple times) that he is happy to see women obtaining "equality" in areas of fair pay, job opportunities, etc. However, the culture, at large, has made men the brunt of many jokes that would be completely and utterly unacceptable if aimed at a woman.
We (the moms present) took some time to evaluate whether or not we participate in those jokes...do we make snide comments about our husbands, or men in general, being "so stupid"? Do we have thoughts of superiority over our husbands? Do we allow those feelings to pour over into our daily actions? Actions that will affect our husbands and our sons' egos and morale? We left with the encouragement that God created us different. The things that we are good at, our husbands may not be. But God has created men to be great at things that we women are not. Society is trying to blur those lines...lines that God created! We need to try to affirm the good and "manly" things about our husbands! Thank them for working hard at their job, whatever it may be. Affirm them in providing for your family, however that may look in your home! We don't need to pressure them or deride them for not being able to "keep up" with the chores, child-rearing, or other things that we are gifted at and able to attend to in the home. Encourage your sons to do things they are good at, and even try some things they are not.
Chapter 12 was a much more thought provoking chapter (well, according to those of us there last night). The chapter really focused in on the male-bashing that happens on a daily basis that is socially acceptable. Dr. Dobson is careful to state (a couple times) that he is happy to see women obtaining "equality" in areas of fair pay, job opportunities, etc. However, the culture, at large, has made men the brunt of many jokes that would be completely and utterly unacceptable if aimed at a woman.
We (the moms present) took some time to evaluate whether or not we participate in those jokes...do we make snide comments about our husbands, or men in general, being "so stupid"? Do we have thoughts of superiority over our husbands? Do we allow those feelings to pour over into our daily actions? Actions that will affect our husbands and our sons' egos and morale? We left with the encouragement that God created us different. The things that we are good at, our husbands may not be. But God has created men to be great at things that we women are not. Society is trying to blur those lines...lines that God created! We need to try to affirm the good and "manly" things about our husbands! Thank them for working hard at their job, whatever it may be. Affirm them in providing for your family, however that may look in your home! We don't need to pressure them or deride them for not being able to "keep up" with the chores, child-rearing, or other things that we are gifted at and able to attend to in the home. Encourage your sons to do things they are good at, and even try some things they are not.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Chapters 8,9, & 10
Don't know if anyone out there is really wanting to comment and use this site as a sounding board...but if you've been wondering what happened to the posts, I'm back. I had to take a two-week break because of family vacations, but the book study is still going strong. The ladies covered Chapter 8 two weeks ago and Chapters 9 & 10 last Wednesday. I am interested to hear anyone's "highlights" of something we talked about (or you, out there, read about) from any of these three chapters. Look forward to going over Chapters 11 & 12 this Wednesday!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Chapter 7
I apologize for the delay in the blogging this week. Our family had a rather momentous Thursday...with Audrey ending up in the ER at Children's Hospital, and ultimately being sent home with a diagnosis of UTI and sinus infection, a scrip of strong antibiotics, and on order for R & R throughout the weekend.
But as far as the study is concerned, we continue to enjoy meeting together to discuss our sons, and pray for them, our daughters, our husbands, and each other. Sorry I don't have specific questions or comments for the week. Hope to see most of you this next Wednesday!
But as far as the study is concerned, we continue to enjoy meeting together to discuss our sons, and pray for them, our daughters, our husbands, and each other. Sorry I don't have specific questions or comments for the week. Hope to see most of you this next Wednesday!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Discussion from Chapters 5 & 6
WOW! For those of you that were unable to make it last night, you missed out on an amazing time of sharing, discussion, prayers and tears. The chapters we read and discussed were about the role of the father in the home. Yet, even though each of the women present last was married and grateful for a loving, involved husband, our hearts and minds were led to discuss the "what ifs", if you will.
What if my husband were not there? Some of us have friends that are divorced...one has a friend whose husband tragically died in a car accident last week.
What if I and my husband do all that Dobson is telling us we should do and my kid still decides to do his own thing? Not follow Christ, have sex before marriage, do drugs, etc.
What if? What if?
So instead of breaking down the "formula" of things a father should do (according to Dobson), or figuring out how we, as a group of women, can supplement in the areas we think our husbands are falling short, we chose to come humbly before the Lord and ask him for help.
We prayed for the woman who just lost her husband in a car accident, Kathy, and for her kids, 4 and 2 years old, with another on the way. We prayed for our husbands. We prayed for wisdom and grace for ourselves. And we prayed for our kids!
Pray for your kids today! Pray for your husbands! Pray that God gives you wisdom of how to love and support your husband in his role as father. My heart is humbled and encouraged to the task set before me. I pray that yours is as well.
What if my husband were not there? Some of us have friends that are divorced...one has a friend whose husband tragically died in a car accident last week.
What if I and my husband do all that Dobson is telling us we should do and my kid still decides to do his own thing? Not follow Christ, have sex before marriage, do drugs, etc.
What if? What if?
So instead of breaking down the "formula" of things a father should do (according to Dobson), or figuring out how we, as a group of women, can supplement in the areas we think our husbands are falling short, we chose to come humbly before the Lord and ask him for help.
We prayed for the woman who just lost her husband in a car accident, Kathy, and for her kids, 4 and 2 years old, with another on the way. We prayed for our husbands. We prayed for wisdom and grace for ourselves. And we prayed for our kids!
Pray for your kids today! Pray for your husbands! Pray that God gives you wisdom of how to love and support your husband in his role as father. My heart is humbled and encouraged to the task set before me. I pray that yours is as well.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Discussion from Chapters 3 & 4
In Chapter 3, Dr. Dobson explains some of the internal "wiring" that makes boys different from girls. We discussed this briefly, commenting on how amazing God's handiwork is. He DID create some major differences in boys and girls! We shouldn't expect them to act or react the same to identical situations.
Our discussion of Chapter 4 began with this insight, "Are boys more likely to do everything dangerous, risky, or stupid?" It sure seems like it, according to Dobson. But why is that? We traced most (if not all) of the "bad" behaviors back to the lack of inhibition/fear, or the aggresive nature of boys, both inherent in their make-up. So we took some time discussing how we, as parents, can help our boys slow down and think...or differentiate when it is OK to take the risk/be aggressive, and when you can't. Any suggestions?
We also touched on Dobson's idea of body image affecting (or wounding) boys. We, as women, tended to see girls as the main victims of the media's onslaught of false images of beauty or "perfection". We chatted about the boxes that society puts boys in (according to their image)...emo, metro, homosexual, jock, brainy, I'm sure there's more I'm leaving out. How can a boy just be himself without having to align himself with a particular group? How can we, as moms, encourage our boys to be the man God wants him to be (all his gifts, talents, looks, and personality traits included)? How do we protect our boys from the world's false ideals of "manliness" and prevent their spirits from becoming abused or wounded (as Dobson refers to it) without making him feel victimized beyond the immediate circumstances?
Any helpful thoughts? Comments? Encouragement?
Look forward to reading your insights...and meeting with you next Wednesday night (6/25) to cover Chapters 5 & 6.
Our discussion of Chapter 4 began with this insight, "Are boys more likely to do everything dangerous, risky, or stupid?" It sure seems like it, according to Dobson. But why is that? We traced most (if not all) of the "bad" behaviors back to the lack of inhibition/fear, or the aggresive nature of boys, both inherent in their make-up. So we took some time discussing how we, as parents, can help our boys slow down and think...or differentiate when it is OK to take the risk/be aggressive, and when you can't. Any suggestions?
We also touched on Dobson's idea of body image affecting (or wounding) boys. We, as women, tended to see girls as the main victims of the media's onslaught of false images of beauty or "perfection". We chatted about the boxes that society puts boys in (according to their image)...emo, metro, homosexual, jock, brainy, I'm sure there's more I'm leaving out. How can a boy just be himself without having to align himself with a particular group? How can we, as moms, encourage our boys to be the man God wants him to be (all his gifts, talents, looks, and personality traits included)? How do we protect our boys from the world's false ideals of "manliness" and prevent their spirits from becoming abused or wounded (as Dobson refers to it) without making him feel victimized beyond the immediate circumstances?
Any helpful thoughts? Comments? Encouragement?
Look forward to reading your insights...and meeting with you next Wednesday night (6/25) to cover Chapters 5 & 6.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Discussion from Chapters 1 & 2
In Chapter 1, Dobson outlines for us the "Wonderful World of Boys". He says on pg. 4, "One of the scariest aspects of raising boys is their tendency to risk life and limb for no good reason. It begins very early. If a toddler can climb on it, he will jump off it. He careens out of control toward tables, tubs, pools, steps, trees, and street. He will eat anything but food and loves to play in the toilet. He makes 'guns' out of cucumbers or toothbrushes and likes digging around in drawers, pill bottles, and Mom's purse....As he gets older he is drawn to everything dangerous....It's a wonder any of them survive. Not every boy is like this, of course, but the majority of them are....I was one of those kids who lived on the edge of disaster."
We discussed some crazy things our boys, brothers, dads, or grandpas have done in their life. Anyone out there have some good stories to share? Something ONLY A BOY would do?
In Chapter 2, Dobson explores some of the ways boys are different than girls. Corey, who has one girl and two boys, was able to share about watching her 3 little ones play in the backyard and the differences in their play...not unlike Dobson explaining the different ways boys and girls play with dollhouses. "Girls tended to 'play house', using the plastic structure in the traditional way....The boys played with the dollhouse too, but not as anticipated. They catapulted the baby carriage off the roof and generally messed up the game for the girls." pg. 16.
Our question that came out of chapter 2 was, how do we, as parents in an age that has become more gender neutral, encourage our children to be "all boy" or "all girl" without limiting their activities or interests to gender-specific items?
Looking forward to reading your insights!
We discussed some crazy things our boys, brothers, dads, or grandpas have done in their life. Anyone out there have some good stories to share? Something ONLY A BOY would do?
In Chapter 2, Dobson explores some of the ways boys are different than girls. Corey, who has one girl and two boys, was able to share about watching her 3 little ones play in the backyard and the differences in their play...not unlike Dobson explaining the different ways boys and girls play with dollhouses. "Girls tended to 'play house', using the plastic structure in the traditional way....The boys played with the dollhouse too, but not as anticipated. They catapulted the baby carriage off the roof and generally messed up the game for the girls." pg. 16.
Our question that came out of chapter 2 was, how do we, as parents in an age that has become more gender neutral, encourage our children to be "all boy" or "all girl" without limiting their activities or interests to gender-specific items?
Looking forward to reading your insights!
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