My Initial Thoughts:
Good, but kind of rambling in some parts. I know that most women don't mind the rambling or extra anticdotes, but I can't expect the hubs to read it if there's too much not-getting-right-to-the-point with absolutely NO redundancy!
I also, think that his earlier stuff is probably better than his most recent. I feel like he gets right to the point and minces no words in the older stuff. It seems like in his more recent books he kind of tip toes up to his point and almost (not quite, but almost) apologizes for it.
My Favorite Parts:
Dobson put in a quote from John Adams that I super love: "From all that I read of History of Government, of human life, and manners, I [have] drawn this conclusion, that the manners of women [are] the most infallible Barometer, to ascertain the degree of Morality and Virtue in a Nation. All that I have since read and all the observation I have made in different Nations, have confirmed me in this opinion. The Manners of Women, are the surest Criterion by which to determine whether a Republican Government is practicable, in a Nation or not. The Jews, the Greeks, the Romans, the Swiss, the Dutch, all lost their public Spirit, their Republican principals and habits, and their Republican Forms of Government when they lost their Modesty and Domestic Virtues of their women...
The foundations of national Morality must be laid in private Families. In vain are School, Academies and universities instituted if loose Principles and licentious habits are impressed upon Children in their earliest years. The Mothers are the earliest and most important Instructors of youth."
Wow! I love that quote. It's so right on. If you ever think there is something more important than investing in your own kids just think of the entire nation!
Dobson writes a couple chapters specifically for dads that are pretty good. Quick summery: tell your girl she's pretty and take her out on "dates" once in a while.
He also mentions the Culture War which he calls the "River of Culture" that youth are getting swept up in. I know no one really wants to talk about this anymore, but we should. It's almost taboo to speak against anything on TV. And if you say anything about how dirty it is, how it's all crap or how you just don't watch it anymore you sound like a snob or a grandma. There are plenty of articles out there about how many sex and violent images young kids will see in a lifetime, yet the TV remains constantly turned on- see? I sounded like a prude right there. Well, I think TV is nothing but a big brainwashing box! And right there? -a hateful, crazy radical! Anyhoo...
Dobson mentions a book by Joe McIlhaney, MD and Freda McKissic, MD called Hooked: New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting Our Children. It sounds really interesting to me. I like it when man finds through proven facts that God's word was right all along. Meanwhile, we've got things like this and that going on making it harder to guide adolescent girls down the "River of Culture".
Overall: I thought it was a good book to read if you really want to understand how your daughter's mind works and want a reminder of the kind of world our girls are exposed to everyday. It gives some encouragement to be proactive in deciding how we want to parent in the years to come.
It's always easier to make sober decisions ahead of time instead of in the moment. If you wait till the moment is upon you, you may be too rushed or you may let other circumstances make the decision for you. Also, I'm afraid those "moments" in the future will be more and more sticky with more and more people caring less and less about the values I want to instill in my daughter. Isn't there a Refrigerator magnet that says, "if it is to be, it's up to me."?
No comments:
Post a Comment