Book Review- Strong Mothers, Strong Sons by Meg Meeker

This book, given to me by one of my favourite people, is titled “Strong Mothers, Strong Sons: Lessons Mothers Need to Raise Extraordinary Men." It led me to explore the insights of Meg Meeker on raising boys.

The bond between a mother and her son is truly fascinating! Since mothers have never been boys themselves, they often find it a bit tricky to navigate this journey. Every caring mom wishes to raise her son into a responsible and successful man, but figuring out how to do that can sometimes feel overwhelming. This book aims to offer helpful insights and guidance along the way!

Before you read it further, let me make a disclaimer that kids are kids, irrespective of gender. However, it is up to us how we groom them, and it is upon them how they receive, perceive, and implement the lessons from their upbringing.

The book is dense in the sense that Dr. Meeker presents a clinical perspective in a tone that feels more like words. She shares what she’s learned from many years of experience to help mothers guide their sons through the transition from boyhood to manhood. Keeping in mind the title, the book attempts to cover the different transition phases the boys go through and provides tips and reminders for mothers to support their sons during those phases.

A few takeaways from the book are-

1. Mothers must constantly exercise courage, be bolder, and be more confident about advising and directing their boys.

2. Mothers' crucial role in expressing love to their sons in healthy ways helps them learn to respect and appreciate women as they grow up.

3. Teaching sons about the values of hard work, community service, and a well-developed inner life is significant.

4. The natural traps and societally induced emotions in which mothers of boys often fall—and how to avoid them

5. There is a 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 book exists at the intersection of the reader's curiosity and its offerings. Engage with it at your own risk!

Quote-

“Our culture doesn’t encourage young men to find purpose—it teaches them how to compete with one another, but not how to challenge themselves.”

“Wise mothers are responsible and responsible mothers are wise.”

“Boys of all ages do better with simple rather than complicated instruction, so be clear and concise when helping him name his feelings.”

“The process of letting go of our sons begins the moment they are born. It is at that moment that we realize our helplessness in the face of what we desperately want to do—protect them from all pain and make only good things happen in their lives. But even in those first moments, we recognize that we need to let go of our deepest wishes and understand that we can’t always protect them, that we have to let them face the world, and perhaps get knocked around by it. And the letting-go process continues from that moment.”