This book has a simple message, "boys are people too". And I guess it is worrying that there is a need for anyone to have to write a 200 page research backed book to tell people this.
Within the book I started to build a picture of Carolyn, she is middle class, possibly in twin set and pearls, certainly at home on the set of Desperate Housewives, how much these things are true I don't know but what was encouraging was even with this image she was still saying the right things. I particularly liked the fact that she affirmed that parents simply watching TV with their children was an important part of a strong relationship, it is part of another common sense statement, to connect with your children, your church's children you need to be interested in them and in the stuff that interests them. What is sad is all to often you can tell that adults, parents, aren't actually that interested, people who can't image that a child would ever say anything worth really listening to.
While the focus is boys, Carolyn holds the gender divide fairly lightly, boys aren't so different from girls but importantly society often treats them as if they are different, and in treating them as different society often frustrates the development of those parts of the person that ease the connection with the spiritual and with God.
The great problem for books like this is that they will almost invariably be read by people who already get it. The people who need to hear the message wouldn't read it in a million years, but well done Carolyn for trying!
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