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61st out of 61 books
—
37 voters
My Mother Wears Combat Boots: A Parenting Guide for the Rest of Us
A parenting guide like no other! Jessica Mills, a touring punk musician, artist, and political activist, gives readers a delightful, information-packed guide to having and raising kids without giving up your politics, art, or life.
Disappointed by run-of-the-mill parenting books that didn't speak to her experience, Jessica set out to write a book tackling the issues faced b...more
Disappointed by run-of-the-mill parenting books that didn't speak to her experience, Jessica set out to write a book tackling the issues faced b...more
Paperback, 260 pages
Published
October 1st 2007
by AK Press
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Feb 18, 2008
Lauryl
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
freaky mamas and weirdo dads
Recommended to Lauryl by:
my local feminist bookstore <3
In my inexhaustible search for pregnancy/parenting guides that don't make me want to gouge out my own eyeballs with a spork, I came across this little gem at Broad Vocabulary, after reading a flyer that they had up for an in-store author appearance. The first few chapters had my Skept-O-Vision going full blast, as the authoress, Jessica Mills, talks a lot about attachment parenting, which she is into, and I am not so keen on. There are aspects of attachment parenting that set off alarms in my fe...more
This book provides an alternative guide to pregnancy and parenting from the perspective of a lefty punk artist who plays sax in a band. It endorses attachment parenting and non-violent communication. The book serves both as a guide and a memoir. The book is divided into sections based on age “Pregnancy and Birth”: Newborn; Full-on Baby!; 1 Year old; 2 Year Old –etc through 5 years of age. This book is a needed antidote to Naomi Wolf’s Misconceptions , proving that having a baby doesn’t mean you...more
i either loved chapters of this book or hated them and i suspect that might have been jessica's intent, i.e. to polarize. i loved her honesty in sharing the ups and downs of parenting such as the chapters on letting her daughter dress herself and dealing with the "beauty queen" aspect of that. i also liked that this book encourages parents to think outside the box, for example setting up a child care co-op and creating an art center in one's home. the chapters i disliked were mostly at the begin...more
I felt fussy about this book during the first few chapters but am glad I stuck with it.
It really needed better editing/proofreading, and sometimes the author mixes levels of discourse within a sentence (formal language mingling with slang, for instance) in ways that sound forced and maybe a little too cool for school. And I've spent a lot of time teaching writing, so maybe that bothers me extra.
But this is such a great book. Writing about parenting is typically unselfconsciously sexist, plus bos...more
It really needed better editing/proofreading, and sometimes the author mixes levels of discourse within a sentence (formal language mingling with slang, for instance) in ways that sound forced and maybe a little too cool for school. And I've spent a lot of time teaching writing, so maybe that bothers me extra.
But this is such a great book. Writing about parenting is typically unselfconsciously sexist, plus bos...more
Jun 27, 2008
Heidi
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Rocker mamas
Recommended to Heidi by:
SLUG
Shelves:
nonfiction-parenting
I finally finished this book, which James is reviewing for SLUG. It started as a collection of columns in Maximum Rock n' Roll, and the chapters that focus specifically on being a parent and being in a band at the same time are probably what set this book apart from all the other parenting books out there. There's an interesting interview with a 15-year-old girl who grew up in that scene, and it adds to the book.
Two other chapters stand out: one on setting up a cooperative childcare group, and t...more
Two other chapters stand out: one on setting up a cooperative childcare group, and t...more
I enjoyed this collection of essays and writings about being a punk, anarchist mom. Just the title alone was validating! My subcultural/ non-mainstream affiliations are a little different than hers so I didn't always relate to the specific dilemmas she had (e.g. going on tour with her punk band with kid in tow) but I still appreciated hearing about parenting from a non-mainstream angle.
I felt the baby chapters didn't offer as much original content, as they had a lot of safety and informational g...more
I felt the baby chapters didn't offer as much original content, as they had a lot of safety and informational g...more
Let me begin by saying that I am not pregnant, but that I think I may start trying to become pregnant within the coming year so I thought it would be best to educate myself about what I'm getting into. I tried to read a couple other pregnancy-related books and couldn't get more than three pages into them without rolling my eyes at the constant references to the "miracle" and "wonder" that is pregnancy and the "magic" of becoming a mother. I'm just not into the fanfare of it; I want to know the b...more
other reviewers have said that they found elements of this book too strident, but i thought it was great. i have been a fan of jessica mills's zines since before she ever became a mom, & i occasionally read her parenting columns in various punk publications. this book is a collection of all those columns, fleshed out with more autobiographical background, as well as a lot of practical information on everything from fetal development to mastitis home remedies to the role of TV in a toddler's...more
Jan 23, 2008
Caitlin
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
the pregnancy set.
Recommended to Caitlin by:
Lolo
Shelves:
2008
A nice compliment to the more "traditional" and mainstream books. I suggest reading a wide variety of pregnancy books, and this one fills the non-traditional/alternate end of the spectrum. This book is not that well written, and the author has a tendency to take the "my way or the highway" stance on just about everything. I do, however, appreciate the resources listed and REALLY appreciate Mills' alternative views on parenting and pregnancy. Definitely worth reading.
I was at the public library when I happened to stumble upon this book -- and oh my gosh, I'm so glad I did. I've read traditional parenting books, and I work at a daycare center, and she reinforces ideas that I already had (but I wasn't sure if other people had them). She used the term "free-child parenting" which I had never heard before. I thought her approach was interesting, and logical. Although I didn't agree with the way she handled how her daughter wanted to dress herself... so what if s...more
This book on pregnancy and parenting from birth to age 5 was incredible. It doesn't sugar coat the challenges that come with having a child and yet maintains a sense that wonderful things can happen through hard work and dedication. This book is not just about how to raise a child but how to reenvision yourself--making parenthood part of your essential identity. It's about balance and parenting that is political, active, and maybe even radical. Jessica Mills presents a careful account of the thi...more
I was gifted this book by another feminist friend of mine who doesn't have a child, but is very supportive of my mothering choices.
I have laughed out loud and wept openly while reading Jessica's stories of raising her first child. My baby girl is only three months old at this point, but I have already had to deal with many of the issues raised. As a non-traditional stay at home mother I am constantly fielding some rather unfriendly questions about my nursing habits, cloth diapering and whether...more
I have laughed out loud and wept openly while reading Jessica's stories of raising her first child. My baby girl is only three months old at this point, but I have already had to deal with many of the issues raised. As a non-traditional stay at home mother I am constantly fielding some rather unfriendly questions about my nursing habits, cloth diapering and whether...more
so far her birth experience was quite parallel to mine...need a clearer head to move on to her epilogue about it.
Haven't finished reading it yet but by far my favorite parent stories/guide. Thank you Happy!
My husband bought this and recommended I read it- I'm so glad I did! I found this better than any other parenting book I've read so far- I liked that it read more like a narrative instead of a guide and had an engaging story line. The author tackles issues I've been thinking a lot about like gender coding, advertising and discipline and some things I haven't even begun to think about. I also loved the chapters about bringing your kid on tour and bringing your kid to protests. I don't agree with...more
Jan 12, 2013
Raine Carraway
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
first time moms, attachment parents,
This is my favorite parenting book so far, and I've read lots. My son's almost 3 now and I still keep going back to it from time to time. I really like her writing style. Even though it does swing oddly from slang to more rigid prose at times, it makes for an enjoyable read overall. There were a few chapters and sections that I sort of skimmed over because they didn't really relate to me or my parenting style but, for the most part, it was a great fit for me as a first-time mother practicing a l...more
Feb 29, 2008
Allison
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
parents, parents-to-be, punks
Shelves:
parenting
I really appreciated that this book was engaging to read, unlike many other parenting books. Kind of half-memoir, half parenting book. She talks about her experiences parenting in a "non-traditional" way. She takes the kid on tour, to the FTAA protests in Miami, etc. She's an anarchist who's into raising a "free" child, is into the attachment parenting thing, and etc.
I definitely took some good ideas away from it, but for me it just wasn't that relatable in a lot of ways. I'm not planning on be...more
I definitely took some good ideas away from it, but for me it just wasn't that relatable in a lot of ways. I'm not planning on be...more
This is the best parenting/pregnancy book I've found yet. Mills voice is very accessible and her information is well researched. More importantly, though, Mills meets parents in the 21st century, where mothers can define motherhood for themselves, breaking the old staunch rules and roles. Also refreshingly non-judgmental, a trap many attachment parenting books sadly trip into.
Love this book. It's like reading a memoir of a friend, sprinkled with well-researched information. This is a look into real parenting. Also shows how parenting can be simple as long as you follow your instincts. I appreciate so many ideas in this book: co-sleeping, childcare co-op, activism, free will & expression. It truly is a parenting book for "the rest of us".
If I hadn't already immersed myself into the world of pregnancy and parenting books, I may have found MMWCB more helpful and insightful. I appreciate her alternate take on things, but bristled at some of her strident claims about circumcision, co-sleeping, and schooling. As I step into parenthood, I am trying really, really hard not to succumb to the judgmental mindset and accept that different strokes work for different folks (within reason of course). I would have loved this book were I a 20-s...more
Disagree with a lot of what she did in this book, I find it did not work for me, I was looking for something a bit more punk orientated and a bit less Hippy orientated. She was different to me when it comes to avoiding certain areas of pregnancy, but she did offer some wonderful "alternative" ways of being pregnant.
A parenting guide is somewhat late in the day for me, nonetheless this is an excellent and entertaining book. It's positive in every way about parenting outside "the system", really communicating with children and teaching them to resist media pressures as well as the stuff that no-one ever tells you about living without sleep for a year....
This should have been written earlier, I've done my time, been there got the t-shirt and the combat boots.
(no wait - they be in my daughter's wardrobe now). I don't really need this book now but it might be amusing to read through it if I see it in the library.
(no wait - they be in my daughter's wardrobe now). I don't really need this book now but it might be amusing to read through it if I see it in the library.
I thought it was pretty trite actually. Maybe it was preaching to the choir kind of stuff that just seemed obvious for anyone living slightly out of the mainstream. If you're life is entirely conventional, perhaps there might be a few things in here to make you think about another way of looking at the problem at hand, but it also seems unlikley that you would be buying a parenting guide with the title, "My Mother Wears Combat Boots".
I am still glad that Jessica Mills wrote her story. I think i...more
I am still glad that Jessica Mills wrote her story. I think i...more
Engaging read to me even as a seasoned mom. I would recommend it to a friend. Validated many of my core parenting values as a non mainstream parent.
this book made me feel a renewed sense of excitement and inspiration. jessica mills writes about nontraditional parenting--meshing punk rock ethics and the desire to raise a free child in today's every-person-for-him/herself society. having been raised in a very old school way (the old "do as i say, not as i do" and "i'll give you something to cry about" school) and not wanting to raise my son like this, it was exciting to read mills' approaches to everything from television watching to sexism a...more
Been reading this on and off ever since before Evelyn was born. A great alternative to the 'What to Expect When you're Expecting' genre.
The most practical and needed literary device for a new mama outside the norm. Excellent resources and personal accounts.
I was going to review this because I enjoyed it, but I realized I might not be the best since I'm not a parent or a punk rocker, something the book is really aimed at. However, there's some pretty interesting stuff on breast feeding, kids sleeping with the parents vs. cribs, organizing a free school, organizing childcare at protests and conferences, home-births, and having a kid while being in a band.
Maybe I'll try to go back to this someday once I'm a parent or parent-to-be. If you ever picture...more
Maybe I'll try to go back to this someday once I'm a parent or parent-to-be. If you ever picture...more
Mostly reads as a "What I wish I had known beforehand..."- but, well, I already knew those things.
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