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OK, hate to ask this, but I always feel obliged to answer all of my patients' questions. I can't just say, "Sorry I have no idea." Especially when I probably should.

So, a mom called today (so I have time to research it) (I Googled it and came up with nothing).

Her question was what is a good book on puberty for boys? Now she put it in a slightly different way, "What is a good book for my soon whose body is changing?"

I think the puberty angle is the better way to go. I only need one good one.

Thanks.

Feedback from my son was most positive for The Guy Book, An Owner's Manual by Mavis Jukes.

Thanks John.

I recommend this book.

Bringing Up Boys, by Dr. James Dobson.

In all seriousness, has anyone other than myself come to the conclusion that raising children is becoming more difficult than ever?

JamesNT

Might it be X-box, Nintendo, DS, Smartphones at 7 years of age, poor parenting, DHHS, not riding bikes specifically to a friend's house, not calling anyone using a landline, Facebook, Twitter, My Space or any social media that keeps the child communicating via a computer electronically and not face to face.

Can't conclude it is more difficult than ever.... But I will agree it is bloody difficult.

If my memory serves correctly, my parents never worried about needing a book to get us thru puberty, adolescence, or anything else. My brothers and I had to go outside to play, and my parents never worried about us being out of sight and hearing range without a cellphone. Our kitchen was closed, so we found our way home because it was getting dark or we were hungry. My parents were mortified if we were in trouble with the school or anyone else, so we knew there would be consequences for misbehaving. My parents never argued with teachers or principles demanding special treatment for us, they didn't think that way. We had 5 boys in a 3 bedroom house, so we lived together instead of in separate rooms.

My parents had to worry about paying bills on a carpenter's wage instead of how to raise us. After the war, I don't think too many people worried about raising boys, if my memory serves correctly. The benefits of discipline were generally understood. They didn't worry that we might be damaged by some adversity, they wanted us ready for adversity.

Of course, if my parents had been fortunate enough to get a daughter, my dad might have been a nervous wreck.

Very true.

I used to be able to get on one of four tractors almost whenever I wanted to and go riding pretty much anywhere except the road. We had a few hundred acres of farmland so the world was my oyster.

I also had 3 dirt bikes in my life my grand dad got for me. There were paths all in the woods where we road dirt bikes.

And not a bit of that with adult supervision.

I miss those days.

JamesNT

I can't believe we sat on the wheel wells of trucks while they traveled 60 mphs down the road. I do like the fact that THE video game was Atari Pong.

I also miss falling asleep on the couch and waking up in the bed.

I miss teleporting. I haven't done it ever since I became an adult.

JamesNT

When did you become an adult?

I refuse to answer that question on the grounds I may incriminate myself.

JamesNT

I second the motion.

Sometimes mom would make us sit down with our backs against the cab and 'our bottoms on the deck.' This was... safer.

However, when my little brother was a baby, we had a VW Rabbit and he slept in a little bed on the back shelf, under the rear glass.

I guess we can only do what we know. There weren't any drunk driving laws back then either. Still firemen stand on the side of the truck which never made sense to me.

In 1910, New York was the first state to adopt a law against drinking and driving, with California and other states soon following...
- See more at: http://www.lifesafer.com/blog/the-history-of-drunk-driving-laws-in-the-u-s/#sthash.zUAeJOEj.dpuf

Yeah, but they didn't have breathalizers back then.

People definitely weren't so concerned about safety. Now the AAP is not only saying we should question them about guns in the home, but make sure they feel our support for same sex couples. They recommend we put a rainbow on the door. I kid you not, their latest recommendation.

I have patient who hesitate coming to the doctor because of fear we will report their guns, or people who will not get their depression addressed because they don't want their guns taken. Then again, this is Alaska.

Florida had a law against pediatricians asking about guns. There are certain questions that go the same 99/100 times. Do you own a gun? No. Is there a gun in the house? Yes. Is it locked. Yes.

Also, while I understand the need to not ask if a 15 year old is having sex. I have never asked the question. Have you ever had sex with a woman, man or both where the 15 year old just start laughing. No teen has ever said both. No teen has ever said same sex. They just aren't ready to answer that question in a room where they had no idea it was coming. I look at like the Catholic priest and confession or any pastor. If a kid is ashamed of something, he will seek out help when he is ready.

This is why I don't belong to the AAP, besides the fact that it is too expensive.

What about the transgender kids? Bert, I hope you aren't discriminating.

http://news.msn.com/us/transgender-6-year-old-wins-right-to-use-girls-bathroom?ocid=ansnews11

JamesNT

A 6 year old boy 'identifying with a different gender cannot be changed.' He preferred dolls over trucks and grabbed a pink blanket instead of a blue one. So the parents treat him as a girl and he feels better. Now he is going to use the girls bathroom. I wonder if they will offer him surgery before he is an adult?

One thing is for sure:

I can already see the documentary happening in a few years.

JamesNT