Our Mommyhood

Posts Tagged ‘Book Review’

Don’t read this book if you want to be bored to tears….

When I was first asked to read this book, I thought it was a self help book.  So, why not?  I can always use some good advice on how to do things better.  I received the book in the mail and realized it was actually a non-fiction story about a 22 year who is in search of who she is, where she belongs and what does her life mean.

Seeing as how I am in my late late late 30′s, I wasn’t sure I was going to relate to the main character.  Expecting to be lost and bored with this book, I was shockingly surprised at how much she went through during her journey related to my life.  I expect many of you will find the same thing.

Don’t read this book if you have a ton of things to get done and don’t have time to read…

I was hooked from page one!  I picked up this book thinking, “I’ll just read one chapter for now, seeing as it is now 9:30pm.”  At 11:30pm, I had to force myself to put it down.  I had to work in the morning.  I couldn’t wait to get back to find out what was going to happen next.

Don’t read this book if you don’t like to be involved with the characters….

The more and more I got into the book, I felt connected to the characters.  I couldn’t relate directly to their situations, but I could felt connected in spirit.  My emotions flowed with the story.

Don’t read this book if you are not interested in stories that make you reflect on your own life…

This non-fiction actually turned out to be exactly what I previously thought – a self help book.  Fate is investigated and tested over and over.  Many messages were written that serve as a reminder and put our lives into real perspective.  ”You might not know where you’re going, but in the end, you get to where you are supposed to be!”  A quote from the book to live by.

The journey of this young girl was equaled by the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly – the symbolization was right on.  You could feel the hardships and struggles of this journey similar to the journey of the Monarch to its haven in Mexico.  The transformation of the caterpillar into the beautiful butterfly – serves as a visual of transformation for women at many different stages in their lives.  The purpose that is written on the genetic code of the Monarch serves as its navigational beacon to its final destination – similar to our genetics that makes us each unique.

After reading this book (and not being able to put it down right from page one), I want to raise butterflies!  I expect you will too!

For an excerpt from the book – check out “The Butterfly’s Daughter” online.

The author, Mary Alice Monroe, lives in South Carolina and is an avid environmentalist.  Many of her books are motivated by nature, she is fascinated by many endangered species and draws from their stories to parallel them with human nature.  The Butterfly’s Daughter is no exception.  She provides the enjoyment of a beautiful story and a great resource of facts about the Monarch Butterfly.  I wish I could say more, but I can’t without giving too much away.  To see the author talk about her book and why she chose the Monarchs, watch the video – The Butterfly’s Daughter

For a list of many more of her books, check out her website, Mary Alice Monroe.  I have been given two more books to give away to two lucky winners.  You will find this book perfect for your summer reading at the beach, poolside or just hiding in the back bedroom away from the children.  Check it out!

If you just can’t wait until the giveaway ends – You can find it here “The Butterfly’s Daughter” by Mary Alice Monroe.  It is already available in ebook version as well.

Now for the best part – Enter for a chance to win one of two copies

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Giveaway ends – May 7th at Midnight EST

Disclaimer – I received a copy of the book to review and was not compensated in any other form.  I am giving my honest opinion and not influenced by any other means.

 

By Betsy, Editor, Funky Mama Bird (@funkymamabird)

We’ve discussed the Fake Mommies and we’ve talked about the SAHM debate. It seems that many of you, no matter what path your own journey of motherhood takes, understand that being a mother is hard, often filled with guilt and the sense that there just isn’t enough time.

Rebekah Hunter Scott’s book, Motherhood is Easy…as long as you have nothing else to do for the next 50 years… is a humorous and refreshing take on just that.

Sometimes, in the face of the Mommy guilt, the sense of time slipping away and all-too-common feelings of inadequacy that can surface, it really helps to sit back and laugh. Scott’s book had me laughing from the introduction, and the laughs didn’t stop there; I devoured this book like it was a box of chocolates, frequently putting it down only to laugh so hard I scared a cat out of my lap.

Motherhood is Easy… has Scott taking lighthearted look at motherhood, from the early days of sleep deprivation, to learning that sometimes, “Because I said so”, is an adequate answer to your questioning toddler.

Included is actually some pretty good advice as well. Avoiding the mommy haircut, for example, may just save some new moms from taking the scissors to their own heads. Add in a so-true-you-have-to-laugh description of Super Daddy arriving home at the end of the day, and nearly every mom will find something to relate to in here.

While most veteran mothers will find something to relate to and laugh at, the people who should read this book are those new and expecting moms who need to learn that it’s OK to have those thoughts, and even more importantly, it’s OK to laugh at them.

So get yourself a glass of wine (white so you don’t stain the carpet when you slosh it over the side of glass laughing) and crack open Rebekah Hunter Scott’s Motherhood is Easy…as long as you have nothing else to do for the next 50 years… and find yourself looking at your own parenthood journey in a new, and better, light.

How do you talk to your child/ren about “families”?  What does a “family” look like to them?

This topic comes up frequently among the Single Mom crowd because we are usually worried about how to address “the daddy question”.  Some mamas are single from the beginning, after deciding to have a child on their own.  As part of the “becoming” process, they usually come to terms with this decision in their own way and plan how to treat the subject with their child/ren.

Some mamas become single later, because of death, separation, divorce, etc.  Their telling of their stories is probably different – instead of discussing why there is no daddy, they have to address why daddy is no longer around.  For a woman who may be dealing with her own significant emotions from the event, I imagine that would not be an easy task.  Mamas who are single during deployments can at least spin a positive tale about when daddy comes home.  I imagine that the emotional undertones of those conversations is not a simple matter either.

I write this post not just to the single mamas out there, but to all the mamas who might be reading.  Because I think it’s important to ask all parents about making their children comfortable with the idea of situations that are different from their own.  Are your children open to the idea that there are different kinds of families?  There are families with a mom and a dad, but there are also families with two moms and two dads.  Or one mom or one dad.  Or even a family that is just grandparents raising little ones.  Some families adopt children, so the mommies and daddies may look different from the children in those families.

I admit I write this from a slightly selfish bent.  It will be much easier for me when my kid starts school if her classmates don’t think she’s the strange kid because she only has one parent.  It will make my mornings a lot less anxious if I don’t have to worry about her coming home in tears because some kid asked where her daddy is, or if he left, or if he doesn’t love us.

But I can’t help but think it will also help children of a two-parent household to understand there are different kinds of families in the world.  That way when they experience those differences, they aren’t surprised or uncomfortable and they have at least been prepared.  If they learn that some children may look different from their parents because of adoption (or sperm donation), then they may not be as surprised on the playground when they learn more about the lives and origins of their peers.

Then how do you start the conversation?

The Family Book by Todd Parr, is a wonderful addition to any child’s library.  With bright colors and animal and human characters; my daughter adores this book.  She wants to read it frequently and loves turning the pages.  The theme of the book is that there are different kinds of families.  Some families are loud and some are quiet, some are dirty and some are clean, some live close to each other and some live far away from each other.  In addition to basic concepts of diversity, the book mentions that some families have two mommies or two daddies, some families have stepmothers or stepfathers, some families adopt children – this last point conveyed by a bear (or is it a skunk?) joining a family of ducks.

It is a whimsical way of introducing children to the things that make all families different, as well as some things that are the same – all families are sad when they lose someone they love, for instance.  In a very lighthearted and visually interesting way, children begin to learn about concepts of diversity, and that all families share something essential: love.

By Shandal, Contributor, My Life in 3D (@Shandal)

By Shandal, Contributor,  My Life In 3D (@Shandal)

There is an amazing book out there that can really help boost your relationship with your partner or anyone for that matter. It’s called The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. The book explains that everyone has a primary way of expressing their love. As a marriage counselor for more than 30 years, Mr. Chapman was able to identify each of these languages.