Started 12/16/12: “Why Have Kids? A New Mom Explores the Truth About Parenting and Happiness.”
I started this book because I am very interested in parenting, and the pressures that surround it. I often hear about how new mom’s are expected to act, and what is unacceptable and unacceptable in our society. So far this book is very interesting, and really nails how mothers are punished or praised by other mothers and society for certain things. I will follow up with a review when I finish the book.
Finished 12/19/12: My thoughts: I was really looking forward to this book. I have always been confused whether I am more enamored with the thought of having children, and not the realities of having children. I was disappointed in this book because I felt it focused only on the negatives of being a mother. In fact after reading it, the book highly made me think twice about having a child. It made motherhood sound like an often horrible “job.” I would have loved some positives sprinkled throughout the book, but instead at the very end it gave a few, not so strong, positive views of motherhood. I hate to say it, but I found this book to paint motherhood as a scary, unfulfilling, saddening, and horrible thing. I don’t think a book should paint a part of life as horrible, and not provide some sort of positive aspect to balance out the negatives. Overall, it was a good read with great, and interesting information. But be warned it isn’t exactly a happy read.
Elyse's Life as I Know it 