Isn’t it hard enough being a mom without the added pressure of trying to be the perfect mom? Despite what society tells us, there is no such thing as a perfect mom. Yet many women find themselves feeling guilty abut their own inadequacies. If you are one of these moms, I suggest you read this great little book, Real Moms: Exploding the Myths of Motherhood by Elisa Morgan and Carol Kuykendall.
Real Moms breaks down some of the most commonly held myths about motherhood. One thing I loved about this book is that sprinkled throughout are examples of what a real mom is. For instance a real mom:
picks up the pacifier that has fallen on the grocery floor, licks it off and gives it back to her fussy baby,
drinks Coke, even for breakfast if necessary,
really likes to sleep, but when that sick child or scared-from-a-nightmare child only wants Mommy, deep down she really likes that too.
In one chapter the authors talk about the masks that mothers often wear. Some of these masks include the mask of happiness (putting on a happy face and smiling on the outside while churning on the inside) and the mask of busyness (taking on responsibilities because it makes her feel valuable instead of facing her self-esteem issues).
Each chapter starts with a myth and a reality, for example,
Myth: A good mom keeps everyone happy.
Reality: A real mom can’t fix everyone and everything.
The authors then proceed to explode the myth by giving concrete examples of how most women cannot possibly live up to the expectations expressed in the myth. Each chapter has real-life mom stories related to the myth discussed in that chapter. At the end of each chapter a few questions for introspection are also included. Another thing I liked about this book is that also at the end of each chapter the authors have included three or four books for further reading.
This is great little book for anyone mother who has tried to be perfect and realizes that perfection is a myth. It will help you to not feel guilty about your limitations.