Celebrating Manhood is a parents’ guide to creating a celebration for a son’s transition into manhood.  It is a slim, spiral bound book, outlining the authors story, a guide on how to create the celebration, and I Remember When cards at the back. The purchase price is $14.95 for digital, and $18.95 for the printed version.

The general idea of this guide is to help parents create a right-of-passage event for their son(s) to welcome them into manhood. While coming of age ceremonies are not uncommon in other parts of the world, here in America, it is typically not acknowledged. While girls may have several events that mark them as growing up (menstruation, getting ears pierced, wearing make-up, etc), boys do not seem to have this in our society. The author and her husband created a ceremony for their sons and share it with us in this book.

There is a clear blueprint, including an invitation template, a possible agenda, ideas about food, activities, and blessings. Since women (moms) generally coordinate this sort of thing, there is a gentle reminder of when ‘to get out of the way’.

I enjoyed looking over the question cards that would engage the group in conversation.  They cover three categories: If Only I Had Known, What I Value and Respect, and I Remember When. Questions presented included things like ‘Name one thing for which you are willing to lay aside your own personal comfort and desires’, and ‘What have you learned about how to effectively resolve conflict?’.

The author used this guide when her son turned 14 years old, but I can see using it for a bit younger or older boy, depending on the young man. I really like this idea and hope to use it when our boys come of age. I highly recommend this book, even as ‘just’ an idea generator, or to prompt one to think deeply on how our society treats young men.

-Product review by Tyna Begley, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, July, 2018