© 2012 by Kevin Leman

Published by Revell

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.revellbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4412-1309-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

To protect the privacy of those who have shared their stories with the author, some details and names have been changed.

The internet addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers in this book are accurate at the time of publication. They are provided as a resource. Baker Publishing Group does not endorse them or vouch for their content or permanence.

Mom:

• Do you want the best for your son?

• Do you hope that he’ll succeed in life?

• Do you wish you understood boys better? (After all, you didn’t have any brothers, or if you did, you sure didn’t understand them either.)

• Are there times your son thinks so differently from you that you’re not quite sure how to relate or respond?

• Does his “maleness” sometimes disturb, annoy, or disgust you?

• Do you long for him to have strong, healthy friendships and a good relationship with you when he leaves home?

• Do you hope to have a great daughter-in-law someday who can also be a friend?

• Do you hope your son will be a good daddy?

If these are your dreams and wishes for yourself and your son, What a Difference a Mom Makes is the book for you.

I guarantee it.

To my wonderful son,
Kevin Anderson Leman II

I’d love to take credit for the great man you’ve turned out to be, but this book points out the obvious: Mom had a great deal more to do with it than I did. You’ve won six Emmys, you’re the head writer and an executive producer of the funniest daytime TV program, but what makes me proudest is the respect and care you show to others, your humble nature, your faith in God, and your love for your family.

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Note to Mom

Dedication

Acknowledgments    13

Introduction: Boys Will Be Boys—Always    15

You panic. “I don’t know a thing about boys!” Ah, but you will.

1. Your Boy Doesn’t Need to Wear a Skirt (But He Does Need a Good Dose of Femininity)     19

You, Mom, leave an indelible imprint on your child. Here’s why.

2. Planning Your Toddler’s Wedding    37

Want a boy ...