What do you think?
Rate this book
Boy Mom: What Your Son Needs Most from You
This guidebook, packed with wisdom, practical advice, resources, and encouragement, explores how moms can equip their sons with what they most need to succeed in life.
Monica Swanson knew she'd tapped a heartfelt concern when nearly two million readers shared her blog post "What a Teenage Boy Needs Most from His Mom." In this helpful book, she takes mothers deeper into the insights they need for the boy-raising journey, covering topics from dealing with the daily influences of friends and technology to helping a boy grow to be physically, spiritually, and emotionally healthy. She also addresses learning and finding passions, perspectives on relationships and dating, and work ethics and money management. Each chapter features relatable stories, handy checklists, and practical advice based on a combination of research, experience, and biblical truth to guide and equip a mom in helping her son achieve his God-given potential.
Praise for Boy Mom
“In Boy Mom Monica Swanson offers readers practical advice and resounding hope that parenting our sons well through all seasons is not only possible but also enjoyable. This book is like an essential trail guide that I’ll refer to again and again in the beautiful and challenging adventure of motherhood.” —Becky Keife, author of No Better Mom for the Job and mom of three spirited boys
“Monica Swanson is the friend we all need in our humble, straightforward, warm, full of wisdom, and short on nonsense—and she knows her stuff like no one else. In Boy Mom she holds the bar high yet is forthcoming about her own struggles and imperfections. Inside these pages you’ll find deeply rooted biblical and practical advice along with calls to action when you don’t know where to start. The Boy Mom Manifesto at the end will not only inspire you but also make your heart swell.” —Kate Merrick, author of Here, Unearthing Peace and Presence in an Overconnected World
“Monica Swanson is the ultimate Boy Mom mentor. While her perspective on parenting is grounded in biblical wisdom, each chapter holds excellent practical tools for how to work out that wisdom on a daily basis in our homes. Of course, we know there aren’t formulas that will ensure we get it all right, but we also know that gleaning wisdom from women who have gone before us (and are still in the trenches with us) is invaluable in the wonderful adventure of helping boys become all God created them to be.” —Jeannie Cunnion, author of Mom Set Free
Monica Swanson knew she'd tapped a heartfelt concern when nearly two million readers shared her blog post "What a Teenage Boy Needs Most from His Mom." In this helpful book, she takes mothers deeper into the insights they need for the boy-raising journey, covering topics from dealing with the daily influences of friends and technology to helping a boy grow to be physically, spiritually, and emotionally healthy. She also addresses learning and finding passions, perspectives on relationships and dating, and work ethics and money management. Each chapter features relatable stories, handy checklists, and practical advice based on a combination of research, experience, and biblical truth to guide and equip a mom in helping her son achieve his God-given potential.
Praise for Boy Mom
“In Boy Mom Monica Swanson offers readers practical advice and resounding hope that parenting our sons well through all seasons is not only possible but also enjoyable. This book is like an essential trail guide that I’ll refer to again and again in the beautiful and challenging adventure of motherhood.” —Becky Keife, author of No Better Mom for the Job and mom of three spirited boys
“Monica Swanson is the friend we all need in our humble, straightforward, warm, full of wisdom, and short on nonsense—and she knows her stuff like no one else. In Boy Mom she holds the bar high yet is forthcoming about her own struggles and imperfections. Inside these pages you’ll find deeply rooted biblical and practical advice along with calls to action when you don’t know where to start. The Boy Mom Manifesto at the end will not only inspire you but also make your heart swell.” —Kate Merrick, author of Here, Unearthing Peace and Presence in an Overconnected World
“Monica Swanson is the ultimate Boy Mom mentor. While her perspective on parenting is grounded in biblical wisdom, each chapter holds excellent practical tools for how to work out that wisdom on a daily basis in our homes. Of course, we know there aren’t formulas that will ensure we get it all right, but we also know that gleaning wisdom from women who have gone before us (and are still in the trenches with us) is invaluable in the wonderful adventure of helping boys become all God created them to be.” —Jeannie Cunnion, author of Mom Set Free
240 pages, Paperback
Published August 6, 2019
477 people are currently reading
2812 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
September 15, 2023
I must start this review saying that I came blindly to this author and to this book, picking it up from my library's new release shelf for this month's book on parenting to see what new tips I could glean from it.
There is definitely some value to it if you can get past the constant preaching. This made it hard to get through for me and was another book that felt geared towards a particular group of people, instead of inclusive of moms in general.
3 stars for me.
There is definitely some value to it if you can get past the constant preaching. This made it hard to get through for me and was another book that felt geared towards a particular group of people, instead of inclusive of moms in general.
3 stars for me.
August 9, 2023
Probably the best book I’ve read on parenting from a mom’s perspective! Such a Biblical, yet practical viewpoint that is encouraging, challenging, and hope-filled!
Some of my favorite quotes:
📖 A wise mom becomes a student of her child.
📖 Being a real man means using your strength in the service of others.
📖 Don’t worry if your child is not listening to you. Worry that they are watching you.
📖 Be present. Be alert. Be willing to make hard choices.
Spend A LOT of intentional time with them!
📖 Raise them to have high standards and a pure heart.
I loved her chapter on emotional health. We name our feelings, discuss and process, but we always make decisions based on truth and wisdom! There are extremes on both ends.
She doesn’t believe in having “the talk” rather an ongoing conversation that is age appropriate and discusses the topics before they happen and doesn’t avoid the awkwardness.
📖 Parent your boy with your eye on the man he is becoming.
📖 Discipline so he will become self-disciplined.
📖 Being an intentional mom is officially an endurance sport.
I listened to this on Audible (on a free 3 month trial), but I will obtain a hard copy at some point. This book covers toddlerhood through the teen years. I think single moms would particularly benefit from this book.
Some of my favorite quotes:
📖 A wise mom becomes a student of her child.
📖 Being a real man means using your strength in the service of others.
📖 Don’t worry if your child is not listening to you. Worry that they are watching you.
📖 Be present. Be alert. Be willing to make hard choices.
Spend A LOT of intentional time with them!
📖 Raise them to have high standards and a pure heart.
I loved her chapter on emotional health. We name our feelings, discuss and process, but we always make decisions based on truth and wisdom! There are extremes on both ends.
She doesn’t believe in having “the talk” rather an ongoing conversation that is age appropriate and discusses the topics before they happen and doesn’t avoid the awkwardness.
📖 Parent your boy with your eye on the man he is becoming.
📖 Discipline so he will become self-disciplined.
📖 Being an intentional mom is officially an endurance sport.
I listened to this on Audible (on a free 3 month trial), but I will obtain a hard copy at some point. This book covers toddlerhood through the teen years. I think single moms would particularly benefit from this book.
August 2, 2019
With “Boy Mom,” Monica Swanson has offered a helpful and insightful peek into parenting, and particularly, parenting boys. An experienced boymom herself with her four boys, the author has tried to cover all the bases of parenting in this book, with chapters about physical, emotional, and spiritual health, disciple, sexuality, and more.
The Good:
She covered lots of areas of concern for parenting, and particularly for raising boys. There is a great chapter on sexuality where she encourages her readers to speak openly and plainly about sex and other “tough” topics that parents often avoid. I also appreciated her strong rooting in Christianity and biblical principles, as I share those and I believe it’s absolutely vital to being a good parent.
Where I found the book wanting:
While there are a lot of good sound bytes in there, and a lot of encouraging words, I was left a bit unsatisfied. As a reader who knew nothing about the author before reading the book, it sort of comes off like she has a perfect family with perfect kids who always make right choices. It felt like “sitcom reality” — there may be little problems, but in the end of the 30 minute episode, they are solved and everyone’s good again. The end result sort of feels like, “As long as you do everything right, you will raise great kids.” Unfortunately, that’s not always true. Kids make choices, kids have struggles, and families won’t get everything right. There was not a lot of room or acknowledgement that sometimes parents struggle, and sometime kids struggle. Even if we do everything right, our kids might still make the wrong choices, or have a hard time. I was missing some honesty, and some transparency that I felt was lacking in this book. I think this could partly be because the author tried to cover a lot of topics in the book, leaving it feeling like she glossed over much of the reality and the tough days.
Overall:
I would recommend this for parents of younger kids (boys), not as much for kids who are older, entering the teen years, and kids who are struggling. The simple principles presented here are practical and can be applied immediately, but I was looking for something deeper. It’s a good read though, encouraging, and I learned some things to try in my own parenting journey! (At the time of this writing, I am a mom of a 13 year old boy, 10 year old girl, and 4 year old girl. Despite the title, I found principles that will be helpful for my girls too!)
The Good:
She covered lots of areas of concern for parenting, and particularly for raising boys. There is a great chapter on sexuality where she encourages her readers to speak openly and plainly about sex and other “tough” topics that parents often avoid. I also appreciated her strong rooting in Christianity and biblical principles, as I share those and I believe it’s absolutely vital to being a good parent.
Where I found the book wanting:
While there are a lot of good sound bytes in there, and a lot of encouraging words, I was left a bit unsatisfied. As a reader who knew nothing about the author before reading the book, it sort of comes off like she has a perfect family with perfect kids who always make right choices. It felt like “sitcom reality” — there may be little problems, but in the end of the 30 minute episode, they are solved and everyone’s good again. The end result sort of feels like, “As long as you do everything right, you will raise great kids.” Unfortunately, that’s not always true. Kids make choices, kids have struggles, and families won’t get everything right. There was not a lot of room or acknowledgement that sometimes parents struggle, and sometime kids struggle. Even if we do everything right, our kids might still make the wrong choices, or have a hard time. I was missing some honesty, and some transparency that I felt was lacking in this book. I think this could partly be because the author tried to cover a lot of topics in the book, leaving it feeling like she glossed over much of the reality and the tough days.
Overall:
I would recommend this for parents of younger kids (boys), not as much for kids who are older, entering the teen years, and kids who are struggling. The simple principles presented here are practical and can be applied immediately, but I was looking for something deeper. It’s a good read though, encouraging, and I learned some things to try in my own parenting journey! (At the time of this writing, I am a mom of a 13 year old boy, 10 year old girl, and 4 year old girl. Despite the title, I found principles that will be helpful for my girls too!)
July 15, 2019
Monica is so humble and gracious and wise. I don't read blogs - like seriously ANY - but I read hers! She is a mom of 4 boys and lives in Hawaii. She shares her wisdom humbly with her readers, and I appreciate her so much! This book is a must-read for all mothers of boys! I have 7 children, 3 of whom are boys, and I have learned so much from her!
June 5, 2025
Low five, high four. Such a practical book with amazing resources.
March 17, 2022
I appreciated the variety of topics the author covers and some helpful ideas of how to approach them. She also includes many links to resources on her website (chore charts, ideas to help your son feel loved, etc). She comes from a Christian worldview, and as I share most of her beliefs I found it helpful. But it also came off as cheesy or preachy at times, and her family felt nearly too perfect. I would have liked to hear some more of her family’s struggles—although I know that could be a difficult balance for an author—not wanting to air your kids’ dirty laundry for the sake of your book. Overall good and while I listened to the audio, I did end up purchasing the book so I can return to it later.
August 2, 2019
This is an amazing book. i have read many parenting books but this is the one that went straight to my heart, i really enjoy the reading of this book i laughed, cried and got motivated. It has encouraged me in the wonderful adventure of raising boys helping me to focus in what is the most important as a Boy Mom. And in the mean time enjoy the journey with my boys trusting always in the love of God for my family. Monica offers us in this book so many resources to help us raising our boys. if you have boys you need to read this book!! 🤗💙💙💙
July 14, 2019
"Boy Mom" is an important book for any mom of boys. I have learned and gleaned so much from the book that it has been a slow read for me, which is unusual. I have made notes, shared quotes with friends who are also in the trenches of raising boys and encouraged others to order the book for themselves. To say I love it is an understatement!
Monica Swanson is a blogger and mom of three boys who has been where other boymoms have been. She has chosen to put on paper her victories and missteps, with room left for continual, consistent progress. As I read the book, I felt that it was one that I'd been wishing for. It's always nice to know someone can relate to exactly the struggles and specific concerns moms might have when raising boys. I often wonder how other moms get through the tough seasons, and Monica deftly explains that her strength is found in the God who not only gave her sons, but the God who continues to love them even more than she does. Each chapter has a specific theme, which would be helpful for returning to at a later date, should those issues be ones you've not experienced (or overcome!) yet.
Practical, honest and at times convicting, "Boy Mom" is one of those books I think I will keep in mind for a gift for the next friend who has a son. Applicable, challenging and encouraging, this is one you do not want to miss. I feel certain this is one that will stand the test of time. This would be a great book for moms to share together in a moms group or book club.
I read the book early, thanks to #NetGalley and Penguin Random House. All opinions are my own and I chose to review. Boy moms, please don't overlook this book!
Monica Swanson is a blogger and mom of three boys who has been where other boymoms have been. She has chosen to put on paper her victories and missteps, with room left for continual, consistent progress. As I read the book, I felt that it was one that I'd been wishing for. It's always nice to know someone can relate to exactly the struggles and specific concerns moms might have when raising boys. I often wonder how other moms get through the tough seasons, and Monica deftly explains that her strength is found in the God who not only gave her sons, but the God who continues to love them even more than she does. Each chapter has a specific theme, which would be helpful for returning to at a later date, should those issues be ones you've not experienced (or overcome!) yet.
Practical, honest and at times convicting, "Boy Mom" is one of those books I think I will keep in mind for a gift for the next friend who has a son. Applicable, challenging and encouraging, this is one you do not want to miss. I feel certain this is one that will stand the test of time. This would be a great book for moms to share together in a moms group or book club.
I read the book early, thanks to #NetGalley and Penguin Random House. All opinions are my own and I chose to review. Boy moms, please don't overlook this book!
July 19, 2021
The book is an easy read with accessible language and good organization with some nice practical tear sheets at the end of each chapter. I appreciate that the book’s subtitle indicates that what’s offered are simple reminders about what your son needs from you, because—as others have indicated—there isn’t a whole lot of complex problem-solving offered throughout, and her sons sound (if not in reality), like preternatural gems. Typically, I get a bit frustrated at the white-washing that happens online within the Christian blog-mom sphere (“#blessed”), but if I take what Swanson says for what it’s worth, she has some good suggestions and I found the book was a good conversation starter for me and my husband to consider how we will handle different situations. The only aspect I find hard to swallow is that for many moms, Swanson’s examples or goals are out of reach—i.e. enrolling kids in a bunch of sports or letting them ‘just be boys’ by hanging out unsupervised at the local beach with their Christian buddies, are sometimes options only possible within a realm of privilege. It would be nice to have a few more voices in the book from moms who’ve found ways to make things like extracurriculars possible on, for example, single income. Overall, decent.
March 22, 2021
This book is supremely useful! I loved it. Well grounded, scripture-based, and practical ideas for many areas of raising boys to be healthy, responsible, confident men of character. This book is aspirational and inspiring with practical printouts and tips for various ages and stages of growth. I have set a reminder to read this book once a year to take the temperature of my parenting & make sure it is productive and Christ-focused. Highly recommend.
July 17, 2019
Being a mom is hard...being a boy mom when I'm a girl is REALLY hard. They are a different form. A form I have a hard time relating to. Thank goodness Monica brings in little inspiration of the when and why and how to navigate through being a boy mom through those tough years.
I have followed Monica on social media for years and am excited to have this book available. There is no preaching or telling you how you should do it but awesome information that leaves you feeling like yes....there are other moms out there going through this , yes, I'm not going through this alone and yes, that is a normal thing they are doing :)
I have followed Monica on social media for years and am excited to have this book available. There is no preaching or telling you how you should do it but awesome information that leaves you feeling like yes....there are other moms out there going through this , yes, I'm not going through this alone and yes, that is a normal thing they are doing :)
June 16, 2021
This is an interesting one to review. On the one hand, there is some really good parenting advice in there. It’s thoughtful, well written and I felt that the advice given was reasonable and interesting. On the other hand, I don’t think that the advice is particularly focused on boys; most of it would apply to girls as well. There is one little bit about teaching respect towards women and also a bit about raising gentlemen but when she describes what she means by that, it’s basically just decent human beings. So this was disappointing in a way as I would have liked more about raising boys in a culture where toxic masculinity is present and where it can be difficult to navigate expectations of gender. Finally, this book is super religious. I knew that going in but it was pretty overwhelming. It did render some of the advice useless, like praying for your sons’ future wives (what if they are gay or don’t want to marry?). Also I don’t know if it’s because of the religious aspect but I found her views of « young people these days » pretty negative. I work with university students and I find this new generation to be pretty great in many aspects. Anyways, there is still some good things in there which is why I gave it 3 stars but there are probably better books on this particular topic.
May 5, 2024
This book, while it did have some amount of practical tips and suggestions, was to me more of a big picture view of raising boys. What could be. A lot of books that I’ve read in this same thread of “how to” are more into the details. Which is necessary and good. But, I really appreciated the beautiful picture that this book paints in their personal family story. It helped me to stop hyper-focusing and getting overwhelmed at all the little things. Truly this book has altered my expectations in seeing what is possible! I am so inspired and excited to raise these boys of mine!
December 29, 2019
Such a GREAT valuable guide for boy moms!
Full of wisdom, practical, inspiring, I have enjoyed this parenting book like no other! Really puts things into perspective, touches soo many topics, it is a portal to so many great resources. Love it and will recommand it everytime I have the chance!
Full of wisdom, practical, inspiring, I have enjoyed this parenting book like no other! Really puts things into perspective, touches soo many topics, it is a portal to so many great resources. Love it and will recommand it everytime I have the chance!
January 10, 2020
This is an interesting read about parenting and a lot of good ideas with dealing with children but I didn’t feel that these tactics were right for me or my family and I will take away what I learned and use it if I am ever in need.
March 30, 2021
For a specific group of people
Good book if you are Christian (which I am) and your boys are young (Which they are not). With all the advice she was bestowing, there were times I felt like it was more scolding. Maybe if I read earlier in life I would have liked it more. But then again when I was younger I wasn't Christian.🤷
Good book if you are Christian (which I am) and your boys are young (Which they are not). With all the advice she was bestowing, there were times I felt like it was more scolding. Maybe if I read earlier in life I would have liked it more. But then again when I was younger I wasn't Christian.🤷
July 18, 2019
I’ve followed Monica Swanson on Facebook for years! I love all the advice this fellow boy mom shares. I was so excited to read her book, so many good nuggets to take from the book and apply to my parenting. This is a must read whether you are a mom of 1 boy or multiple boys!
November 26, 2022
Powerful, convicting, and full of lots of practical tools. This is one I would read again and again!
April 30, 2025
I will absolutely be reading and referencing this book again in the future. Such a balanced, life-giving, and encouraging book for boy moms!
March 23, 2024
Full of great advice!! I will be coming back to this book for years to come as my boys grow up
June 2, 2024
I highly enjoyed the practical advice for raising well rounded boys/men. I will likely read this again when my sons are slightly older as most the advice seemed better suited for slightly older than toddler parenting. Even with my sons being a bit young for most the concepts I was still challenged and encouraged by her admonishment to live with the morals you want your sons to grow up to have.
June 25, 2025
This was motivating and inspiring. Similar to “Raising Emotionally Strong Boys” but this had more general “boy” stuff and not as much emotional teaching. I will read this again as my four boys progress through different stages. The author was lovely - one I’d love to sit and talk over lunch with.
September 20, 2022
Having two boys after raising two girls, this book was a welcome read to this mama!
July 24, 2019
Inspiring and convicting; Boy Mom is full of practical advice for raising boys to become men of noble character. As a mom to 3 boys, ages 15, 10, and 5 I am in 3 very different phases of raising boys, yet I have the same goal for all three - to raise three men of God, men of noble character, who will seek to follow God's will above all else and be a light in this dark world. It isn't easy "parenting upstream" as Monica calls it in her book, but her book also gives real life, practical tips for accomplishing my heart's greatest desire!
August 7, 2019
Upbeat, practical encouragement for intentional parenting.
Swanson has four boys, one just off to college down to one in elementary school. My son is a middle schooler and I appreciate being able to glean from a mom who has gone before me.
Swanson has four boys, one just off to college down to one in elementary school. My son is a middle schooler and I appreciate being able to glean from a mom who has gone before me.
August 12, 2019
Get your favorite highlighter ready- this book is fabulous. I related so much as a boy mom, and I think all parents or people who have children in their lives would benefit from reading this book. I love the layout of the book and find the stories and messages so relatable.Bonus, there are printables too!
September 2, 2019
Monica Swanson is passionate about her subject, and a particular benefit of her book is the resource list in the appendix. She has researched extensively. Monica's methods may not be suitable or yield the same results in many families, but the book can be an encouraging reminder of the ideal we would like to shoot for.
I appreciate her enthusiastic voice on this topic, and I appreciate her reminders that the good news of God is grace, not works.
I was provided an advance copy of this book for review.
#boymom #netgalley
I appreciate her enthusiastic voice on this topic, and I appreciate her reminders that the good news of God is grace, not works.
I was provided an advance copy of this book for review.
#boymom #netgalley
February 8, 2020
This book is open and encouraging and funny. Every mom will see herself at some point in this book. Monica Swanson does a great job of helping us all realize that real life is real. I am not a boy mom, I have all girls, so it was humorous to compare what life is like in her house and ours... but many of her stories are relate-able to any parent!
The publisher provided an ARC through Netgalley. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts
The publisher provided an ARC through Netgalley. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts
February 13, 2020
This book was a very encouraging read. These words especially inspired me. “When a mom has raised her son well, her love will be like a strong anchor, providing security and stability amid the currents of culture and the storms of life.” I loved that this book reminded me of the importance of intentionality in my role of mother to my children. I would recommend this book to any boy mom.
August 17, 2019
Full disclosure... this is the first book review I’ve ever taken the time to write. I am reviewing this book because I feel compelled to support this amazing author, Monica Swanson. I’ve followed her blog for some time now. Years back I read an article she wrote, that a friend shared on Facebook, and I was so moved by it. I found her blog and read just about all of her posts over the course of the next few days. Although we’ve never met- I feel as though she has become a friend. Monica has inspired me in so many ways to be a healthier person, a better wife, more intentional mother and better overall human. She exemplifies the type of mother I strive to be. You can imagine my excitement when I found out she was publishing the book “Boy mom.” I would highly recommend this book to any mom in the midst of raising children. She gives so much tactical advice and heartfelt stories of her experiences over the years raising her 4 boys. She’s a devout Christian and is raising her boys with strong moral character, which is very difficult in today’s society. She is happily married, living in Hawaii, homeschooling her boys- while running them to youth group, surfing and all sorts of activities. I can relate to so much of what she discusses about parenting challenges. I will take all the advice I can get from a mom who has been through the trenches and is finally seeing the fruits of her labor. She imparts lots of practical wisdom that can only help us moms be more intentional in our parenting. She makes you feel like you’re sitting down with her having a cup of coffee discussing all the things we face as moms/parents. The book is an easy read (or listen which is my preference). There were so many great topics she hit on. I hope to re-read this book again down the road. It’s a must read for any boy (or girl) mom. I highly recommend you follow her on social media as well. You won’t regret it. I’m going to check out her new podcast and I’m excited see what other great things she’ll be doing in the future.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews