I purchased The Hair-Raising Joys of Raising Boys by Dave Meurer because it was looked like a good cheap book on Amazon that would get me over the $39 in order to get free shipping along with two other books. It has been a good investment as both Sarah and I read it (not together) and it has provided us with some good discussions.
The first thing I would recommend about this book is that it is funny! It is challenging for any author to convey the humour of stories in written form, yet Dave does exceptionally well and there were many times when Sarah would hear me chuckle and ask, "Which story is it?" Since Proverbs says, "laughter is the best medicine," this book was beneficially for that reason alone.
Secondly, this book reminds you to keep the daily challenges of raising boys in perspective! The music or hair "issues" are really not that important in light of eternity, though how you deal with them can have long-term relational consequnces (I'm reminded of Ephesians 6:4 - "Fathers, do not exasperate your children...").
Finally, this book is commendable because it really does deal with topics that are specific to raising boys. I can already see two or three of the areas where our son, Caleb, is "all boy" and I think my amazing wife wonders not only what he is doing but how and why that would ever enter into a person's little mind.
Admittedly, the book was not overly deep or insightful. From a faith perspective, I thought the author could have connected the stories more directly to a spiritual challenge/lesson. This does make it a useful book to share with any family seeking to raise boys who are well-adjusted, social and responsible citizens.
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