Thursday, September 10, 2009

Boy-sterous Living: Celebrating your loud and rowdy life with sons

Aside from the obvious, is there really a big difference in boys and girls?
Differences that should effect how we raise and relate to them?
Are those differences profound enough to warrant publication of yet another book on the joys, challenges and celebration of rearing boys?
The answer is yes, if that book is Jean Blackmers



Having been raised smack dab in the middle of a family of six brothers not to mention raising a son of my own, I can attest to the authentic nature of Jean’s hilarious and thoughtful stories woven throughout ‘Boy-sterous Living’.

Jeans’ opening chapter, ‘Choose to Laugh’, immediately broke me up as her story brought to mind my own experiences with male children.

At age 13, I was bombarded with frenzied pleas for help when my younger brothers burned off another brothers eyebrows in a back yard science experiment gone wrong. By the time my parents got home I had trimmed up my baby brothers singed Beatle cut and frantically penciled in his missing eye brows, Groucho style. Jean’s depiction of her reaction to son Jakes first shaving experience proved spot on as I recalled the quizzical look my own mother had as she tried to figure out why my little brother looked so different that day.

In an amusing yet very thoughtful manner Jean shares real life stories culled from her own life and those of friends to illustrate how wonderful and blessedly unique boy children are. Each chapter focuses on solutions to the many challenges and joys faced in raising happy, healthy and Godly ‘boy-sterous’ boys. Her personal stories are quite precious and at times almost too funny to believe; unless of course you have first hand working knowledge of males.

With it’s many scripture references, a ‘Digging Deeper’ section, ‘Questions for Reflection’ and a list of ‘Suggested Reading’ accompanying each chapter, I highly recommend ‘Boy-sterous Living’ as a study for any meeting of MOPS, Mom Care or Moms in Touch groups and think it would make an excellent gift for all new parents and those expecting.

For a chance to win free movie tickets and snacks for you and a friend to escape: Share your own story! Enter your grossest or funniest moment as a mom of a boy (No boys? That’s okay – we still want to hear your story!)
Email your entry to amy@litfusegroup.com or post it on the
Moms of Boys facebook page!
Click here to follow the complete 'Boy-sterous Living' Blog Tour

About the author: Jean is currently the Publishing Manager for MOPS International and she's been free-lance writing for 16 years. She has been published in a variety of local and national publications, including: Guideposts, MomSense, Today's Christian Woman, Christian Parenting Today, American Girl, Proverbs 31 Woman, Chicken Soup for the Mother and Son Soul, Chicken Soup Cookbook for the Busy Mom's Soul, Focus on the Family's Teen Phases, Guideposts Miracle Series, and others.