Motherhood is something that cannot be described and is best experienced... and handled with learning on the fly and a lot of humility.
We are all trying to be the best mom we can. It's about failing forward, learning as we go, and being the best mom we know how.
It's not an easy job, it's actually probably the hardest job you will ever have. Scratch that, it is the hardest job you will ever have. There aren't any breaks and there are a lot more emotions than your typical job ;)
There are no tests or cheat sheets, no way to study before the exam.
After your baby breaches those cervical walls, it's 5,4,3,2,1, action! And no re-takes ya heard?
Whether your kids are toddlers who walk on fours or teenagers who go against everything you tell them, there are always some challenges and things to learn. It's the beauty of life, eh?
At the same time, being a mom will also be the most fulfilling experience – watching your kids grow up into functioning adults.
Moms say one of their biggest struggles for motherhood is questioning their own decisions every day. It's a learn as you go game, without a real-life manual. We don't want to carry regret or look back and feel bad about our parenting choices.
If you're reader or audiobook listener, we've found some great books that'll help to empower you throughout motherhood. These are the closest thing to cheat sheets we could find!
The Magic of Motherhood: The Good Stuff, the Hard Stuff, and Everything In Between
By: Ashlee Gadd
Arguably one of the best books on parenting, this insightful book shines a light on motherhood as it is in real life. Rather than offer advice, it contains candid essays from numerous contributors demonstrating the rollercoaster of motherhood. The writer opens up about the beautiful things it brings as well as the ugly ones.
They share their experiences with adoption, miscarriage, infertility, religion, personal health, and other topics not always openly discussed.
<Find it here on Amazon>
Bringing up Bébé
By: Pamela Druckerman
When Pamela had her kid in France, she noticed something quite different from growing up in the states. She noticed that French families had a different aura about them and seemed to have their act together.
From what she gathered, French children tended to sleep the entire night without waking everyone up during the wee hours, eat normal food from very early on, behave themselves, and didn't demand too much attention from their parents. Simply put, it was quite different than what she was used to in America.
French parents live lives outside of being parents. In this book, she spills the beans on how they do it and benefit the child, the parents, and their family dynamic as a whole.
<Find it here on Amazon>
Secrets of the Baby Whisperer
Tracy is a master of connection and learned how to really tell the difference in what the baby needs. Often times we assume the baby is hungry, but she says you can tell by their different cries to understand and be able to soothe your child better.
Once you learn to be a “baby whisperer”, you actually have a simple line of communication which makes motherhood easier all around.
<Find it here on Amazon>
#IMOMSOHARD
By: Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley
Kristin and Jen know that being a mom is really tough and that you need to embrace it as is. They don’t want you to feel guilty for being overwhelmed by your parental responsibilities. In fact, they are discouraging you from trying to be a perfect mom. If you love a lighthearted but connected book, this is a great read.
They add a light-hearted touch to the challenges new moms face because they know that being hard on yourself will only make things worse for you. They really understand the dynamics of motherhood and the outside pressure and offer alternative ways to think about some tough situations you'll face as a mom.
Long story short, it's a hilarious read and is not a self-help book for moms. Grab this if you're into a let's laugh at this sh*t together book.
<Find it here on Amazon>
The Mama Natural Week by Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth
By: Genevieve Howland
If you are pregnant for the first time and have no idea how to go about childbirth and early motherhood, this is one of the best parenting books you can find.
In this guide to pregnancy, Howland elaborates how a natural birthing process is beneficial to you and your child. She shares the challenges you will face and the solutions you can use to counter them from hers and other mothers’ perspectives. She even features advice from a nurse, a midwife, and a lactation specialist to help answer your questions about childbirth before the big day comes.
<Find it Here on Amazon>
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk
By: Elaine Mazlish and Adele Faber
Co-authored by two experts who have specialized in communication between parents and children, this book will show you how you can avoid unnecessary chaos in your home through efficient communication.
The books purpose is to equip you to navigate your kids’ emotions without damaging your relationship with them. It also teaches you how you can set boundaries that enable them to grow in a healthy environment. Communication is key in every relationship, but especially with growing children. It should save a lot of disappointment and frustration in your relationship with your kid and help you to focus on what matters.
<Find it Here on Amazon>
Strong Mothers, Strong Sons: Lessons Mothers Need to Raise
By: Meg Meeker
This guide will teach you how to raise a son in modern society – an environment that poses unique challenges to boys. Meg focuses on how you can build a healthy relationship with your son to help him grow into a strong man.
If you have had negative experiences in the hands of men in the past, this book will show you how you can approach parenting devoid of baggage to nurture your son into a respectful adult. So powerful.
<Find it Here on Amazon>
And Now We Have Everything: On Motherhood Before I Was Ready
By: Meaghan O’Connell
Inspired by her own experiences, Meaghan wrote this book as a guide on how to be a mother when you become one as a young adult. In the book, she discusses the unique challenges girls face when they have children when they themselves feel like they still have some growing up to do.
Society can be rough on young mothers. With little good information out there to connect with young moms, this is a great read to help empower young women that are raising children and help build their confidence. Many of us have had children before we were ever ready, this one will hit home.
<Find it Here on Amazon>
Learning to Fly
By: Roxanne Henke
This is a fiction novel Roxeanne created about a mother trying to navigate her way through raising her daughter. Through the ups and the downs, there are many relatable and life-like situations that really hit close to home.
<Find it Here on Amazon>
Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year
By: Anne Lamott
In this book, Anne chronicles her experiences raising her son through his first year as a single mom. She shares how she lived through that period even as she learned that her best friend and confidant was about to die of cancer. She delivers her story in a humorous way that doesn’t deviate from the challenges she faced and victories she scored along the way.
It's a powerful read and will offer some beautiful insights into motherhood and the chronicles of raising sons.
<Find it Here on Amazon>
There is no such thing as the perfect mom. You are as perfect as you can possibly be right now because you just are damnit. Books are a great guide and tool to dig into throughout life. It's like tapping into the wisdom of others around you and who walked before you. That is pretty cool.
We all questions ourselves 5038 times daily, say and do things we regret, and wonder if we're really doing this dance of motherhood well. You're not alone in that ;) Good for you for trying grow and do better, that's something we can all learn from.
Keep up the good work mama.
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