The Mama's Boy Myth: Why Keeping Our Sons Close Makes Them Stronger

ANewYorkTimescontributoroffersaradicalreexaminationofahot-buttonissueofthemotherandsonrelationshipandadvocatestheendofthe"mama'sboy"taboo.NewYorkTimescontributorKateStoneLombardiunveilsthesurprisinglycloserelationshipbetweenmothersandsons.MotheraftermotherconfessedtoLombardithatherhusband,brothers,andevenfemalefriendsandfamilycriticizethefactthatsheis"tooclose"tohersons.Manyofthesewomenareoftenstartledbythestrongconnectiontheyfeelwiththeirsons;butrarelydotheytalkaboutitbecausesocietytellsthemtopushtheirlittleboysawayandnot"baby"themwithtoomuchcuddlingandcomforting.Itisasiftherewereanexistingplaybook-basedongenderpreconceptionsdatingbacktoFreud,Oedipus,andbeyond-thatprescribesthewaymothersandtheirsonsshouldinteract.Lombardi'smuch-needednarrativeisthefirstandonlybooktosharetrulyrevealinginterviewswithmotherswhohavecloserelationshipswiththeirsons,aswellasinterviewswiththesewomen'ssonsandhusbands.Lombardipersuasivelyarguesthattheriseofthenewmale-onewhoismoreemotionallyintelligentandmoresensitivewithoutbeingless"manly"-isdirectlyattributabletowomenwhoarerejectingthe"mama'sboy"taboo.Highlightingnewscientificstudies,TheMama'sBoyMythbeginsafreshstory-onethatwillbewelcomedbymothers,fathers,andsonsalike.