Time to Unwind: Great Books for Moms

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great-books-for-moms

I have loved reading my entire life. It is my way to wind down at the end of the day and forget about whatever my current stresses in life are.

Reading is a way for me to continue to grow and learn regardless of the genre of book in my hand. I tend to go through phases in my choice of books and over the last year I have been reading a lot of books related to parenting (shocking, I know). Not the “why you are doing parenting all wrong” type of advice books, but the encouraging, we-are-all-in-this-together type of books. Books that will make you laugh out loud and cry real tears because you know where the authors are coming from and when you are finished you will feel like they are your friends. Stop by your closest library (or my favorite feature of the Phoenix Public Library – reserve your book online), find some quiet time (mine is usually not until 10 o’clock at night) and unwind with one of these great books for moms.

best-books-moms

Carry On Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton: This might be my favorite book of all time. The author Glennon first created the website Momastery.com and a non-profit TogetHER Rising to support mothers and women in need. Her book is a collection of her stories that are sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, but always honest and uplifting. She reminds us that we are all beautiful, strong people even though we feel flawed most of the time.

The Good Mother Myth edited by Avital Norman Nathman: I think that being a “good mother” is something all of us struggle with. Everybody has a different opinion of what a good mother is supposed to look like and what she is supposed to do. The goal of this book is to help break that myth and help everyone to see that you can’t define a good mother. It is written by lots of moms who are all sharing their very different stories. I appreciate the many diverse takes on motherhood and how open these mothers were in sharing their love and struggles with this part of life.

Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan: If you are looking for something to make you laugh and someone who can relate to all of the horror stories of parenthood, then this is the book you need next. Jim Gaffigan is a father of five children living in NYC in a two bedroom apartment. His book is a hilarious take on all of the struggles that come along with being a parent and why we have a love-hate relationship with this crazy time in life.

Nobody’s Cuter than You by Melanie Shankle: This book isn’t about parenting, but it is about the beauty of friendship and how important our relationships with other people are. Melanie Shankle shares heartfelt stories about the friends that have made an impact on her through each stage of her life, and a big part of that is parenthood. She writes like she is having a conversation with you and when you are finished you will want to call your closest girlfriend and plan a night out to catch up.

I would love some new recommendations! What are you currently reading?