As a boy mom, I was so excited to read this book, but I could not finish it. I am not sure I am the right audience for this book, and that's why I struggled to complete it. That being said, I think there is absolutely an audience for the encouragement and examples in this book, and for that audience, this book will be affirming and life-changing. The author has such a wonderful voice that will inspire and help that audience through the tough times of parenting. I commend the author for delivering a book for the often-overlooked boy moms!

This is a wonderful book that should be required on every Boy mums bookshelf. It tackles lots of important subjects that we as mums (or parents) need good advice and education on. The author constantly refers to the idea of upstream parenting in a fast paced, downstream flowing world. She admits it isn't easy. In fact I will chime in and say parenting is often hard. But upstream parenting, done with intentionality, will always be worth it. And with this book jam packed with so many great, well researched and practical examples, upstream parenting may just be that much easier. I already have implemented some new rules into our family regarding technology, and while I knew they would be poorly received from my older son, it was much better than I anticipated, and only a few days later, he really isn't looking for time on his device. Similarly, I have been challenged to have a great conversation about friendships and the sort of people we should have in our lives. In summary, the entire book has been both convicting and encouraging. Every chapter I have read has spurred me into being a more intentional parent, who will raise 2 boys to be Jesus loving and God fearing men. This is a book I know I will pick up again and again. I highly recommend Boy Mom.

The title says it all. Though I know the struggles of defining things today this may be a harder concept to talk through I think there is still a bit of teaching that can be different for boys. Growing up in a time when there was a transition happening I wish boys my age were being talked to about things that we are more open to talk about with our own kids. We can teach our boys to stand up for the girls still caught in the cycle of shaming that unfortunately still occurs. In the same hand we are still working on teaching boys that is ok for them to be more vulnerable. I think this is an important book in my mind and almost wish it had a bit more.

This has to be one of my favorite parenting books, and I have read a lot of them! It is well written and so informative. As a mom of three boys, I relate to the craziness that is boys, but also the wonderful blessing they are as well. The book is written conversationally and I really loved the author! She is kind, wise, and such a delightful person to read from. It really feels like a chat with an awesome friend who has the answers to your hard questions about raising boys. I learned a lot from this book and will definitely be coming back to again as we young boys get older.

As a boy. Mama of 3, I absolutely loved this book! It was so good to glean wisdom from a Mama gone before me (but still in the thick of motherhood) and I really appreciated Monica’s honesty, vulnerability and openness throughout her writing.
I immediately related to her stories and it felt like I was sitting across the table from her, having a cup of coffee with a good friend. It’s got plenty of stories and real life examples that add validity to her writing.
This is a really practical resource, loaded with tips and suggestions, as well as a wealth of resources and printables through her website.
I highly recommend this book to all boy mamas, regardless of what stage they’re in!

*I received a free digital copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

As a mother of four boys, I wish I had this book when they were younger. There was so much good advice on what you should be able to expect your child to do for themselves at each age. There would be fewer helicopter and lawnmower moms if this were required reading for boy moms.

I received this book from NetGalley.

As a mom of three boys, I am extremely grateful for this book! There is so much practical information packed it. I love how the author infused her faith throughout the chapters along with checklists and sources for further reading.

This is a must have for any boy mom!!

Unfortunately this one did not work for me. As a mom of two sons I was really interested but the tone of the book is not one I can abide. I've read several parenting books and often read Christian non-fiction and unfortunately this one didn't seem relatable at all.

Monica has so much wisdom for moms of boys. I love her enthusiasm and her positive spirit--it's contagious!

What an amazing resource this book was! I will pick this one up again and again because the advice is so helpful as a mom of 2 boys. If you find yourself needing some guidance on how to raise those little human boys God has given you I would highly suggest you put this at the top of your list. The author has done a fabulous job putting this together, I truly felt she gave her heart to help us!

"Boy Mom" is such a great book from a mom who's been there. The author has two teenage boys and a younger son as well and she was very helpful in navigating several areas of development and ages. I found her advice to be helpful and practical, particularly on areas I have not yet come across with my children such as dating and internet usage. She has a cautious yet realistic approach and I know that I will be turning to this book for advice again in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

As a Boy Mom myself, this book struck a chord in my heart. Getting into the hearts and minds of boys can be literally impossible sometimes. They don't communicate as well and rarely like to just sit and talk. While my boys are still young, I have been searching for a book that I could turn to to get into the hearts and minds of my boys and figure out what they need from me, their mom.

I highly suggest this book to my friends who have boys, or grandmas who have grandsons. I think this book is 100% worth it!

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

As a girly-girl boy mom it can be so hard to know exactly what my boys need from me, because I have never been in their shoes as a boy. I can help to raise them with respect for girls and women, but understanding where THEY need support doesn’t come second nature to me. Monica has filled these pages with guidance and wisdom around how best to support, encourage and guide my boys on how to be the best version of who God has created them to be; all while connecting with my sons and having fun! Thank you Monica for this book!

Such wonderful insight that came at the perfect time! I have two boys and this book was raw and truthful and gave me kind of a pat on the back that I’m heading in the right direction. It’s nice to have an wonderful and helpful book such as this to help guide you through this journey. I highly recommend

Thank you to NetGalley and WaterBrook Multnomah for providing me this book.

This book is a gem!! A keeper, a longtime hidden treasure for me, and I’m so much grateful that I found this book.

It tells me alot of about “raising the boy I love into a man who will make this world a better place”. Surely being a parent is never easy, become a mom is also never easy but this book makes me understand why you should’t give up because of this uneasy job, turned out its an incredible job that ever happened in my life. There are some tips and trick, bible verses, happy and touching stories, punishments, personal notes that the book offers. Guide us as a “boy mom” to keep doing our best to raise our son to become a gentleman with the help of God. “You got this!” as the author said, I’ll do my best to raise my two sons.

Thank you for your book and wonderful inspiration in it for my “boy mom” journey.

I was excited to read “Boy Mom” by Monica Swanson because I am also a mom to four boys. I love reading parenting books and getting different perspectives on raising my boys. I was drawn to Boy Mom because I love meeting “four boy moms” as they just get it! Boy Mom is an engaging book with lots of takeaways. My favorite parts of the book were the end of the chapter snippets. I love when authors boil down main points and Monica did a great job of encouraging, informing, and giving great ideas in these sections. She encouraged me with this quote about continuing to connect with my sons as they grow older: “A wise Boy Mom is a student of her son, watching, listening, and picking up on cues about how he feels most loved as he grows.” I recommend this book to all boy moms and especially to moms with boys in the 5-10 range. She includes a lot of great encouragement for the tween and teen years.

I received this book for free from NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book and took a lot away from it. There are lots of links, helpful hints, and scriptures to help guide you while raising a son (or more than one). The author writes like a real mom and by that, I mean that she writes with conviction, knowledge, and realism (life isn't always perfect and she doesn't try to sway you in that direction). 
Being a mom is a very hard job, but so worthwhile and I hope that I can guide my young son using some of the principles the author lays out in her book, such as, the importance of money management, chores, responsibility, attending church, having good male role models, and so much more! 

5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed this book on Netgalley.

I’m not very far into my parenting journey, and sometimes I need good advice from others who have been there. Recently, I had an opportunity read an early copy of the book Boy Mom by Monica Swanson. Monica has four sons, ranging from college age down to seven years old–so I think she know a thing or two about raising boys!

While “boy mom” is a popular hashtag on social media, it’s also a job that presents unique challenges. I’ll admit that I’m not always up to the task. I’ve seen a lot of boys and young men. Some I’ve thought “I hope my boys grow up to be like that.” While others make me cringe and decide to do whatever it takes to prevent my boys from growing up like them.

But I never knew exactly how to get my boys from the silly toddler stage to the mature, gentleman stage. I was intrigued by Monica’s book, and got a copy as early as I could! If you’re a boy mom, this book is a must-read for you. Monica doesn’t shy away from the tough topics. (And let’s face it, when you’re a mom, they’re all tough!)

She writes candidly about forming relationships, punishments, setting boundaries and faith. She even talks about social media and body image. I felt convicted in the chapter about building trust with my sons, and realized that I don’t always do the right things in regards to our relationship. But I also felt so encouraged that my boys don’t have to pull away from me and become disrespectful and rude when they become teenagers.

I’m glad I found this book while my boys are so young, and I plan to keep it close through the years. I’ve read it with my highlighter in hand, because there are so many things I want to refer back to later.

Some good ideas here for moms of boys looking for guidance on raising health and happy sons. I wanted a little more in terms of anecdotes (what worked and what didn't, something to personalize the lessons) and a little less of the spiritual aspect, but I realize that's more about me as a reader and might be very meaningful for many others. I have 3 boys and I think a sense of humor is the biggest key to raising sons...and I was disappointed that that wasn't a bigger part of this book. But, for someone just looking for basic advice, they'll find it here.

**Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.**