I have not met a mom or dad yet that has not quipped about the fact that they are baffled that a nice, concise instruction manual did not pop out with their newborn on that first day in meeting their child. This joking usually comes, not from a lack of spiritual understanding that the Bible is our instruction manual, but rather the complexities in parenting children who can be like us, but also very different. How amazing in having four children, and realizing that the things I had finally figured out “worked” with our first did not work with her younger siblings.

God divinely ordained the family. He designed families to have a mom and dad. This specific design reveals to us the fact that within God’s plan, moms and dads offer different things to their children. What a Son Needs from His Dad: How a Man Prepares His Sons for Life is an insightful resource into the special needs that are met in the father/son relationship. It does not apply to mother/son bonds or even father/daughter bonds.  This 137-page text addresses general needs in a son that can be the most effectively met by his dad. More day to day strategies in meeting these greater needs are provided.

In the ten chapters in this book, some themes explored are:

• A general overview of child development
• Developing a work ethic
• The importance of balancing healthy recreation with work
• Discipling your son in Christ
• Showing discernment in choosing who you surround yourself with
• The importance of raising a strong man, but also a good citizen
• Helping your son gain a healthy appreciation for his sexuality
• Presenting your son to the world

I fully realize that, as a mom, I cannot fulfill these needs in my son the same way that God ordained for his dad to do. However, after reading What a Son Needs from His Dad, I can more effectively pray for both my husband and sons in their relationship with each other. Being aware of these needs, I can also encourage outings and times for my husband to fulfill these needs in our sons’ lives rather than being jealous of their time together and always feeling that the whole family needs to be together. As much as I love the Lord and may study His Word, I could never teach our sons about how to be a man, husband, or father. I can help them to appreciate how their actions affect the women in their lives, but they really need their dad to be their dad. Stepping back to allow this to happen may be the greatest gift that I can give them both.

What a Son Needs from His Dad is reasonably priced at $9.99, making it a great gift idea for Father’s Day or a special gift for a new father of a son. Churches and small faith groups may also find this to be a great resource for men’s bible study, as discussion questions are presented at the end of each chapter. I personally loved these questions as they helped me to really think about the challenges my husband faces in helping our sons grow into godly men. O’Donnell writes in a manner that is easy to read, but leaves you desiring to come back to these chapters time and time again, in order to re-energize you in your parenting and to gain a greater focus in intentionally raising your sons to be godly men.

Product Review by Dawn Oaks, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, May 2012