The book "Preparing for Adolescence" which was published in the late 70s almost single-handedly wrecked my life. I remember my mother crying out "You used to be so loving and kind, what's happening to you?" some years later I realized that what I had wanted to say was "if you could get all this Dobson stuff out of the house I might have a chance of actually becoming myself instead of this freak it's trying to turn me into." ... er, or words to that effect. So yeah... that took 3 years of intense therapy to work out. :)
30+ years later and if someone wants to send me into a feral rage all that has to be done is for a Dobson book to be tossed into my line of sight. Maybe I just didn't understand what he was getting at, but there's like a 14 year block of my life when I wouldn't allow another human being to so much as touch me, I mean down to little old ladies at church trying to hug me... I'd clothesline them. Sorry grandma, you invade my personal space and you're going down. And no, there's no deep dark secret lurking in my childhood, it's just how I reacted to Dobson's psychology.
We all have our little issues.
Hmm... I think I need to put him on my don't ask don't tell list. lol
Fascinating. I have always had a mild distaste for Dobson, but no specifics. More of a case of opportunism than substance, I thought.
Interesting, your take on Dobson.
It reminds me of the Scripture “train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it: (Proverbs22:6)
Actually, the words “train up” are a “best of” translation: the original verb for that (the action “train up”) in Hebrew is an action in the Hebrew culture wherein dates were mashed into a sweet liquid and touched to the palate of a new-born to create a desire to suckle. Also, the “when he grows old” verb in Hebrew actually translates “when he grows a beard”.
In short, Proverbs 22:6 tells us: create a thirst for the sweetness of God in the young and when they reach manhood they won’t leave it.
Methinks the problem was, and is, much deeper than that caused by a single book.
Hmmmmmm
He once gave me a very strange look at a psych conference while I was taking a picture of him, but mostly I admire him and believe him to be of the highest integrity.
He reportedly is a bear to work with as a publisher because he’s extremely convinced of how he wants every aspect of his books.
In terms of his parental guidance . . . I think he’s a lot better than a long list of others.
He does write for a mass audience, however.
And, he can allow for special treatment of extremely unique kids. I don’t know that THAT comes across in his books, however.
I don’t know that I’d say his books are written for the LOWEST common denominator but certainly for the most common stuff to come up in parenting challenges.
Sorry he gave you such fits. I’m very curious along what lines if you care to FREEPMAIL me.