Man Raises Boy

Book excerpt: A book from the front lines of modern fatherhood. Welcome to Rob Sturrock's journey into parenting. Since the birth of his daughter, Rob has been passionate about being an active and present father, but this hasn't always been straightforward. Struggling with stereotypes, judgement, identity and isolation while on parental leave, Rob has tried to balance supporting his wife and young children with the societal expectation of being a breadwinner for his family. With the arrival of his son, a new set of anxieties was born. In today's climate, how do you raise a boy? The roar of the #MeToo movement has meant that men have had to learn to listen, and to confront their masculinity and what it means to be a man. Through extensive research and interviews with dads doing it differently - including Tony Sheldon, Adam Liaw and Bernie Shakeshaft - Rob Sturrock explores a new era of fathering that balances strength and vulnerability, allowing men to voice their insecurities and uncertainties, and encouraging them to truly cherish their families. Man Raises Boy is at once an insightful and necessary call to arms for all new fathers, a guiding hand in the maze of love, guilt, anxiety and joy in fatherhood - and an ordinary dad's beautifully moving love letter to his son. 'Raw, inspiring and brutally honest. If you have a son, read this book.' Madonna King, bestselling author of Fathers and Daughters