Perfect Madness

Perfect Madness
Author: Judith Warner
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 356
Release: 2006-02-07
Genre: Family & Relationships
ISBN: 9781594481703

A lively and provocative look at the modern culture of motherhood and at the social, economic, and political forces that shaped current ideas about parenting What is wrong with this picture? That's the question Judith Warner asks in this national bestseller after taking a good, hard look at the world of modern parenting--at anxious women at work and at home and in bed with unhappy husbands. When Warner had her first child, she was living in Paris, where parents routinely left their children home, with state-subsidized nannies, to join friends in the evening for dinner or to go on dates with their husbands. When she returned to the States, she was stunned by the cultural differences she found toward how people think about effective parenting--in particular, assumptions about motherhood. None of the mothers she met seemed happy; instead, they worried about the possibility of not having the perfect child, panicking as each developmental benchmark approached. Combining close readings of mainstream magazines, TV shows, and pop culture with a thorough command of dominant ideas in recent psychological, social, and economic theory, Perfect Madness addresses our cultural assumptions, and examines the forces that have shaped them. Working in the tradition of classics like Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique and Christopher Lasch's The Culture of Narcissism, and with an awareness of a readership that turned recent hits like The Bitch in the House and Allison Pearson's I Don't Know How She Does It into bestsellers, Warner offers a context in which to understand parenting culture and the way we live, as well as ways of imagining alternatives--actual concrete changes--that might better our lives.

Worry with Mother

Worry with Mother
Author: Francesca Hornak
Publisher: Portico
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2016-02-11
Genre: Humor
ISBN: 9781910232354

Anyone who has ever given birth knows that a mother’s worrying is never done. Parenting books give wildly contradictory advice, late-night Googling induces blind panic, and, in today’s ultra-competitive environment, other parents just make you feel worse. This hilarious book, by first-time mother and Sunday Times columnist Francesca Hornak, captures perfectly the madness of modern parenting, with 101 worries all mums will have experienced themselves, on topics including food-throwing toddlers, technology-addicted teenagers, and an imaginary friend called Neil. Beautifully illustrated by renowned cartoonist Dorrance, this book is a welcome slice of light relief from all the fretting mums are expected to do these days.

Worry

Worry
Author: Jessica Westhead
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2019-09-03
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1443458864

A CBC BOOKS BEST FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR A riveting novel about a mother’s all-consuming worry for her child over forty-eight hours at a remote cottage with old friends and a mysterious neighbour, for fans of Little Fires Everywhere and Truly Madly Guilty Ruth is the fiercely protective mother of almost-four-year-old Fern. Together they visit a remote family cottage belonging to Stef, the woman who has been Ruth’s best friend—and Ruth's husband’s best friend—for years. Stef is everything Ruth is not—confident, loud, carefree—and someone Ruth cannot seem to escape. While Fern runs wild with Stef’s older twins and dockside drinks flow freely among the adults, they’re joined by Stef’s neighbour Marvin, a man whose frantic pursuit of fun is only matched by his side comments about his absent wife. As day moves into night and darkness settles over the woods, the edges between these friends and a stranger sharpen until a lingering suspicion becomes an undeniable threat.

Ordinary Insanity

Ordinary Insanity
Author: Sarah Menkedick
Publisher: Pantheon
Total Pages: 433
Release: 2020-04-07
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1524747785

A groundbreaking exposé and diagnosis of the silent epidemic of fear afflicting new mothers, and a candid, feminist deep dive into the culture, science, history, and psychology of contemporary motherhood Anxiety among mothers is a growing but largely unrecognized crisis. In the transition to mother­hood and the years that follow, countless women suffer from overwhelming feelings of fear, grief, and obsession that do not fit neatly within the outmoded category of “postpartum depression.” These women soon discover that there is precious little support or time for their care, even as expectations about what mothers should do and be continue to rise. Many struggle to distinguish normal worry from crippling madness in a culture in which their anxiety is often ignored, normalized, or, most dangerously, seen as taboo. Drawing on extensive research, numerous interviews, and the raw particulars of her own experience with anxiety, writer and mother Sarah Menkedick gives us a comprehensive examination of the biology, psychology, history, and societal conditions surrounding the crushing and life-limiting fear that has become the norm for so many. Woven into the stories of women’s lives is an examination of the factors—such as the changing structure of the maternal brain, the ethically problematic ways risk is construed during pregnancy, and the marginalization of motherhood as an identity—that explore how motherhood came to be an experience so dominated by anxiety, and how mothers might reclaim it. Writing with profound empathy, visceral honesty, and deep understanding, Menkedick makes clear how critically we need to expand our awareness of, compassion for, and care for women’s lives.

Raising Worry-Free Girls

Raising Worry-Free Girls
Author: Sissy MEd Goff, LPC-MHSP
Publisher: Baker Books
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2019-09-17
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1493421867

If you have a daughter, it would be surprising if she doesn't struggle with anxiety and worry--either in short episodes or for longer periods. For a variety of reasons, childhood anxiety rates are soaring, especially among girls. Today's parents need to know what contributes to anxiety and worry and how they can empower their daughters to overcome troubling emotions. In this immensely practical book, veteran counselor Sissy Goff shares how you can instill bravery and strength in your daughter. Addressing common age-specific issues, Goff gives you the tools to help you and your child understand why her brain is often working against her when she starts to worry, and what she can do to fight back. With your help, she will find the anchoring truth of God's strong, safe love for her and the confidence she needs to thrive.

Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts

Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts
Author: Karen Kleiman
Publisher: Workman Publishing
Total Pages: 162
Release: 2019-07-19
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 1641701528

Over 90 percent of new mothers will have scary, intrusive thoughts about their baby and themselves. What if I drop him? What if I snap and hurt my baby? Mothering is so hard—I don't know if I really want to do this anymore. Gosh, I'm so terrible for thinking that! Yet for too many mothers, those thoughts remain secret, hidden away in a place of shame that can quickly grow into anxiety, postpartum depression, and even self-harm. But here's the good news: you CAN feel better! Author Karen Kleiman—coauthor of the seminal book This Isn't What I Expected and founder of the acclaimed Postpartum Stress Center—comes to the aid of new mothers everywhere with a groundbreaking new source of hope, compassion, and expert help. Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts is packed with world-class guidance, simple exercises, and nearly 50 stigma-busting cartoons from the viral #speakthesecret campaign that help new moms validate their feelings, share their fears, and start feeling better. Lighthearted yet serious, warm yet not sugary, and perfectly portioned for busy moms with full plates, Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts is the go-to resource for moms, partners, and families everywhere who need help with this difficult period.

Mommy Burnout

Mommy Burnout
Author: Dr. Sheryl G. Ziegler
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 293
Release: 2018-02-20
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0062683705

The ultimate must-read handbook for the modern mother: a practical, and positive tool to help free women from the debilitating notion of being the "perfect mom," filled with funny and all too relatable true-life stories and realistic suggestions to stop the burnout cycle, and protect our kids from the damage burnout can cause. Moms, do you feel tired? Overwhelmed? Have you continually put off the things you need to do for you? Do you feel like it’s all worth it because your kids are happy? Are you "over" being a mother? If you answered yes to these questions, you’re not alone. Parents today want to create the ideal childhood for their children. Women strive to be the picture-perfect Pinterest mother that looks amazing, hosts the best birthday parties in town, posts the most "liked" photos, and serves delicious, nutritious home-cooked meals in her neat, organized home after ferrying the kids to school and a host of extracurricular activities on time. This drive, while noble, can also be destructive, causing stress and anxiety that leads to "mommy burnout." Psychologist and family counselor Dr. Sheryl Ziegler is well-versed in the stress that moms face, and the burden of guilt they carry because they often feel like they aren’t doing enough for their kids’ happiness. A mother of three herself, Dr. Z—as she’s affectionately known by her many patients—recognizes and understands that modern moms are all too often plagued by exhaustion, failure, isolation, self-doubt, and a general lack of self-love, and their families are also feeling the effects, too. Over the last nineteen years working with families and children, Dr. Z has devised a prescriptive program for addressing "mommy burnout"—teaching moms that they can learn to re-energize themselves and still feel good about their families and their lives. In this warm and empathetic guide, she examines this modern epidemic among mothers who put their children’s happiness above their own, and offers empowering, proven solutions for alleviating this condition, saving marriages and keeping kids happy in the process.

God's Words of Life for Mothers

God's Words of Life for Mothers
Author: Zondervan,
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2018-03-13
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 031009108X

Regardless of what you find yourself facing as a parent, you can find peace and comfort in the eternal truths of Scripture curated in this beautiful devotional for moms. Encourage your heart and soul as you read through God’s Words of Life for Mothers, a book of specially chosen NIV Bible verses and thought-provoking devotions to inspire you in every season of motherhood. God’s Words of Life for Mothers includes: hundreds of verses carefully organized by the topics you need most—grace, rest, wisdom, prayer, and many more over 40 devotional thoughts to help you dive deeper into the verses journaling lines to encourage reflection and growth a beautiful fabric pattern cover designed by Amy Butler and unique pages with scalloped edges Filled with encouragement, reassurance, and motivation during any season of motherhood, this devotional is great for moms on Mother’s Day, birthdays, or baby showers. The God’s Words brand has sold more than 3 million copies. No matter what you need on any given day, find the inspiration you need straight from the Word of God.

Mind Over Mother

Mind Over Mother
Author: Anna Mathur
Publisher: Hachette UK
Total Pages: 221
Release: 2020-05-14
Genre: Family & Relationships
ISBN: 0349425418

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'With conversations on Maternal Mental Health on the rise, and more women speaking up about the way they feel, Anna Mathur's insight as a psychotherapist AND mother make her someone you feel you can trust. She offers little nuggets of gold while reminding us to point some of our kindness and love inwards.' Giovanna Fletcher, bestselling author of Happy Mum, Happy Baby 'Anna is breath of fresh air - relatable, funny and wise' Sarah Turner, bestselling author of The Unmumsy Mum Baby-proof the house; panic-proof the mum. Do you overthink what you said to the mum in the supermarket queue? Is your internal dialogue more critical than kind? Perhaps you wake to check your baby is breathing, or the sight of a rash sends you down an internet search rabbit hole. Whatever your level of anxiety, however much it impacts your life, this book is for you. Anxiety is making motherhood a less pleasant, more fraught and pressured experience, and we do not have to accept joy-sapping worry and energy-draining overthinking as part of the motherhood job description. In Mind Over Mother, Anna Mathur, psychotherapist and mum of three, explains how to: * Understand anxiety, why it affects you and what to do about it * Make your mind a kinder, calmer, happier place to be * Transform your motherhood experience by addressing your thinking The most powerful tool Anna has to communicate this isn't the letters after her name, it is the fact that she is open about her own experience of maternal anxiety. By sharing her journey, she gives you the confidence to reframe yours. Mind Over Mother is full of light bulb moments of realisation. It will have you learning, laughing and loving yourself through the journey of motherhood. You will learn to address the most important conversation you'll ever have - the one inside your head, because investing in your mental health is the best gift you can offer yourself and your child.