Mother to Son: Shared Wisdom from the Heart

Boys are different. Boy, are they different. And so too is the mother-son relationship, whose depth and wonder are captured perfectly in one of the very first pages of MOTHER TO SON: "Don't forget that even as a baby, he will always be looking for your face. It will be this way forever." Woven out of wisdom, humor, experience, love, charm, and a poetic economy of words, here is one pithy, memorable lesson per page, beginning with the Beginning, and covering toddlerhood, the school years, sports, spirituality and, of course, girls. There are practical matters for first-time mothers of sons: "Watch out when you're changing his diaper. Baby boys shoot straight in the air." The helpful reinforcement of principles: "There will be times when the last thing in the world you want to tell him is no. But sometimes you'll have to." The whimsical yet invaluable suggestion: "Have tea with him in the afternoons. Serve cookies." The true voice of experience: "He is not a child anymore, but he's not an adult either. Treating him like either one will lead to disaster." Reminders about the importance of your own values: "Treat his father with love and respect. Show your son that being a man is a good thing." And what to do when he's all grown up and getting ready to leave: "Hug him fiercely."