Looking for a parenting book that speaks to what I’m dealing with. I’m a good mom but between the state of the world and needing enough gas in the tank for my own life as an artist, i feel totally uninspired and lacking in the motherhood department. My mom and sister in law are so fun with games and energy and imaginative play, while I’ll be over in the corner dissociating. I feel so guilty all the time. I need some inspiration. Thank you!
by Pinacolada1989
3 Comments
The Good Mother Myth: Unlearning Our Bad Ideas About How to Be a Good Mom by Nancy Reddy
You might find it meaningful to read _All Joy and No Fun_ by Jennifer Senior. It’s a study of modern parenting with a combination of research and personal anecdotes that examines how normal it is to both deeply cherish your children but still feel often frustrated, bored, trapped and other unpleasant emotions.
Not a book rec but just a thought – not all moms / parents are good at all the things. I found the toddler years really really hard and when my son would beg me to sit on the floor and play cars or trains with him, I was like when can i stop doing this please??!?!? So boring. But i love to bake with them and do a puzzle or play games. I love to plan trips and share my love of new places. I’m a TERRIBLE artist, but how lucky am I that my babysitter is a brilliant creative person, and she always shared her love of art with them. Figure out what does bring you joy and share that with your kids, but if you’re not great at imaginative play, that’s okay!!
After a day of work, I sometimes just needed quiet time, so we got in to the habit of reading “next to.” My son is 12 and we’ll still read “next to” at night. He gets in between us in bed and we all read independently. We’re present and yet getting what we need as individuals. Good luck!