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The Mommy Diaries: Finding Yourself in the Daily Adventure
Mothering is an adventure to be sure--from diaper changes and potty training to car pools and soccer games, a mom's life is full of adventures with her children. But it's not only about the kids. Mothering is also an adventure in personal growth. And that's what moms are invited to enjoy as they read The Mommy Diaries. With contributions from a variety of authors and speakers familiar to today's moms, as well as insights from fresh new voices, this book will encourage women to catch a fresh glimpse of who they are and how they can grow in the midst of the mothering process. Organized into six sections, each focused on a particular aspect of personal growth as a mom, The Mommy Diaries points moms to the lessons and insights that can be found in their experiences.
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 22, 2015
I can't remember how I came to own this book. Perhaps a momentary break from the ongoing sarcastic and humorous monologue in my head brought me to pick it up for a quarter at our local library's book sale? On any count, it was a quarter well spent. Starting and finishing "The Mommy Diaries: Finding Yourself in the Daily Adventure" did not require a lot of time or mental energy. In picking it up, I steeled myself for a potential roller coaster ride alternating between the highs of exuberant and inspiring mommy memories mixed with the twists and dips of guilt I might feel as I read of other mothers' super mommy habits and achievements that I fear I might never reach. No, this was mostly a comforting collection of easy-to-read personal experiences shared with mothers of primarily young children. I appreciated their candor and honesty about the messiness of their homes and their emotional well-being as they do and did their best to invest all they could into their children both physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Here are two particular side-bar quotes which the book's editor included that resonated with me:
"Being a mother, as far as I can tell, is a constantly evolving process of adapting to the needs of your child while also changing and growing as a person in your own right." ~ Deborah Insel
"I like the person I am becoming." ~ Maya Angelou
Here are two particular side-bar quotes which the book's editor included that resonated with me:
"Being a mother, as far as I can tell, is a constantly evolving process of adapting to the needs of your child while also changing and growing as a person in your own right." ~ Deborah Insel
"I like the person I am becoming." ~ Maya Angelou
May 16, 2019
I picked up this book looking both for a sense of literary community from other mothers of young children and to try to suss out the general "tone" of MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) to determine whether I might want to join a local chapter. While I want to connect with others in the same life stage as me, I've been turned off by the group's lingo about "Christ-centered" support. This book cemented that impression.
While it was nice to be able to easily dip in and out of these essays, to not have to think too hard about any of them, and to find relatable stories from other mothers, I found the preachy and facile faith element of many of them to be off-putting. Even more disconcerting is the fact that this is most definitely, as I saw another reviewer put it, a "God book," but it makes no mention of faith, religion, ministry, or other similar clue words on any of the jacket copy. This feels like a way to "trick" mothers who may not share similar religious sensibilities into picking up the book in hopes that the stories will work the magic of conversion on her. Not a fan of sneaky proselytizing.
And to be honest, most of the conclusions reached in these essays are just too pat and SIMPLE to be truly satisfying. For many of the essays, I felt like the mothers were parroting the life lesson or instruction they thought they SHOULD be learning from their experiences; there was a sort of shoe-horning of experiences into a faith journey rather than an organic melding of the two. Most of the essays also came from women who were pretty privileged, including a few cringe-worthy ones in which the "lesson" came from the way they reacted to someone else's lack of privilege -- using another family's tragedy for YOUR family's growth experience just didn't sit well with me. The most compelling essays were those that truly felt raw and authentic -- those from the mothers who had suffered miscarriages, one from a single mom trying to get through a McDonald's encounter in a rough neighborhood, etc. Not to call the kettle black, I am perfectly willing to cop to my own privilege as a white, married, stay-at-home mom whose biggest problems are isolation and emotional exhaustion, but hopefully I don't go around being quite so sanctimonious about the whole thing.
While it was nice to be able to easily dip in and out of these essays, to not have to think too hard about any of them, and to find relatable stories from other mothers, I found the preachy and facile faith element of many of them to be off-putting. Even more disconcerting is the fact that this is most definitely, as I saw another reviewer put it, a "God book," but it makes no mention of faith, religion, ministry, or other similar clue words on any of the jacket copy. This feels like a way to "trick" mothers who may not share similar religious sensibilities into picking up the book in hopes that the stories will work the magic of conversion on her. Not a fan of sneaky proselytizing.
And to be honest, most of the conclusions reached in these essays are just too pat and SIMPLE to be truly satisfying. For many of the essays, I felt like the mothers were parroting the life lesson or instruction they thought they SHOULD be learning from their experiences; there was a sort of shoe-horning of experiences into a faith journey rather than an organic melding of the two. Most of the essays also came from women who were pretty privileged, including a few cringe-worthy ones in which the "lesson" came from the way they reacted to someone else's lack of privilege -- using another family's tragedy for YOUR family's growth experience just didn't sit well with me. The most compelling essays were those that truly felt raw and authentic -- those from the mothers who had suffered miscarriages, one from a single mom trying to get through a McDonald's encounter in a rough neighborhood, etc. Not to call the kettle black, I am perfectly willing to cop to my own privilege as a white, married, stay-at-home mom whose biggest problems are isolation and emotional exhaustion, but hopefully I don't go around being quite so sanctimonious about the whole thing.
February 18, 2015
Another MOPS book... they look so appealing but then end up so disappointingly amateur (unpolished, lacking insight/perspective). Basically, a mommy blog in print.
This book is a collection of short 1-2 page essays by moms, grouped into general topics: Identity, Growth, Relationships, Help, Perspective and Hope.
Initially, I appreciated the encouragement and open discussion of faith. It was like not realizing how thirsty you are until you see a glass of water. The forward and introductions were also good.
Eventually though, it just felt like random, directionless essays. A lot of moms reference writing experience or being "writers", but I didn't find the writing particularly good. It felt like reading a collection of random blogs entries by different people. Some essays did inspire and encourage me to be my own unique self. Some struck odd notes (ie talking about the "courage" to leave a baby with a nanny). A lot just felt like a waste of time.
Strong Protestant (vs. Catholic) vibes. Couldn't connect with the various writers. I felt like I was clearly not the target audience for this book.
This book is a collection of short 1-2 page essays by moms, grouped into general topics: Identity, Growth, Relationships, Help, Perspective and Hope.
Initially, I appreciated the encouragement and open discussion of faith. It was like not realizing how thirsty you are until you see a glass of water. The forward and introductions were also good.
Eventually though, it just felt like random, directionless essays. A lot of moms reference writing experience or being "writers", but I didn't find the writing particularly good. It felt like reading a collection of random blogs entries by different people. Some essays did inspire and encourage me to be my own unique self. Some struck odd notes (ie talking about the "courage" to leave a baby with a nanny). A lot just felt like a waste of time.
Strong Protestant (vs. Catholic) vibes. Couldn't connect with the various writers. I felt like I was clearly not the target audience for this book.
February 27, 2009
a few sappy stoies, a few heartwarming stories and many of encouragement. This would be a good book for a mom feeling overwhelmed or maybe a new mom.
April 25, 2019
As a woman deep in the “trenches” of parenthood, sometimes I just need to read real stories of moms who are doing the Mom thing, like me! I see you, I hear you, I am you.
January 18, 2012
This was passed on to me by my sister-in-law. I don't usually read this kind of self-help/improvement book. I'm wary of books that mention God on every page for seemingly no reason. I decided to read it anyway, as I've been dealing through some difficult situations and thought the book might trigger some introspection on my part. I'm not a member of MOPS nor plan to be, and expected the book to be geared towards the Fundamentalist mentality. I was not wrong.
The first chapter was a bit preachy and sappy, but I found one essay interesting. Also, each chapter ends with reflection questions that could be thought provoking to answer. I took a little something from each story in chapter 2, except the last one. It was one of those typical "I was mad at God. Now I'm not, and I literally spend all my free time away from the kids in prayerful devotion." stories. I got nothing out of it, but I liked the other stories in the chapter, particularly "A Defining Moment." Chapter 3 dealt with cultivating relationships and their importance in our lives. All the stories were interesting. Chapter 4 was on the importance of asking for and accepting help, and could've been combined with the previous chapter on relationships. I really liked the story "Peanut Butter Love." "Dusty Trusty Guidebook" was trite and tired, and promoted the idea of plucking Bible verses out of their context and applying them to modern life. I don't agree with this practice and consider it possibly dangerous, though the Bible can be a source of guidance if used correctly. Chapter 5 on gaining perspective was disappointing. All the stories were preachy, and none of them were terribly interesting. A few were actually condescending as they informed the reader of the great insight they were given in their "a ha" moments. Chapter 6 was on hope and, as expected, focused primarily on finding it in God and/or MOPS. A few of the stories were interesting and somewhat engaging, but two stories, "Lost and Found" and "My Best Years," in particular, left a bad taste in my mouth. These two stories seemed to promote the notion of giving up everything to be a full time mother, because nothing is more important. A list of priorities in "My Best Years" didn't even list the pursuit of personal interests. This is completely counter to the idea expressed in the book's subtitle, "Finding Yourself," and stressed in the first two chapters on "Identity" and "Growth."
Since I didn't expect much from this book, I was not overly disappointed. Some of the stories were engaging and interesting, but none revealed anything earth shattering that would change my life for the better. It's nice to read that other mothers have similar problems to mine own, and the questions at the end of each chapter were somewhat fun to answer and did in fact prompt some self-reflection. However, I would have gotten the same insight into myself by skipping the text and just answering the questions. This is not a book I would recommend to others, and I probably would have passed it up if I saw it at the Dollar Tree. Because I enjoyed answering the questions though, I gave this book an extra star.
The first chapter was a bit preachy and sappy, but I found one essay interesting. Also, each chapter ends with reflection questions that could be thought provoking to answer. I took a little something from each story in chapter 2, except the last one. It was one of those typical "I was mad at God. Now I'm not, and I literally spend all my free time away from the kids in prayerful devotion." stories. I got nothing out of it, but I liked the other stories in the chapter, particularly "A Defining Moment." Chapter 3 dealt with cultivating relationships and their importance in our lives. All the stories were interesting. Chapter 4 was on the importance of asking for and accepting help, and could've been combined with the previous chapter on relationships. I really liked the story "Peanut Butter Love." "Dusty Trusty Guidebook" was trite and tired, and promoted the idea of plucking Bible verses out of their context and applying them to modern life. I don't agree with this practice and consider it possibly dangerous, though the Bible can be a source of guidance if used correctly. Chapter 5 on gaining perspective was disappointing. All the stories were preachy, and none of them were terribly interesting. A few were actually condescending as they informed the reader of the great insight they were given in their "a ha" moments. Chapter 6 was on hope and, as expected, focused primarily on finding it in God and/or MOPS. A few of the stories were interesting and somewhat engaging, but two stories, "Lost and Found" and "My Best Years," in particular, left a bad taste in my mouth. These two stories seemed to promote the notion of giving up everything to be a full time mother, because nothing is more important. A list of priorities in "My Best Years" didn't even list the pursuit of personal interests. This is completely counter to the idea expressed in the book's subtitle, "Finding Yourself," and stressed in the first two chapters on "Identity" and "Growth."
Since I didn't expect much from this book, I was not overly disappointed. Some of the stories were engaging and interesting, but none revealed anything earth shattering that would change my life for the better. It's nice to read that other mothers have similar problems to mine own, and the questions at the end of each chapter were somewhat fun to answer and did in fact prompt some self-reflection. However, I would have gotten the same insight into myself by skipping the text and just answering the questions. This is not a book I would recommend to others, and I probably would have passed it up if I saw it at the Dollar Tree. Because I enjoyed answering the questions though, I gave this book an extra star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2017
It took me 6 months to finish this book. I had a lot going on but I'm so glad that I finished it! I'm a new mom to a beautiful baby girl! Reading this book brought on so many emotions. I have no idea what lies ahead with her but I have strong hope in the man above. Chapters 4, 5, & 6 really stood out for me. Way to end the book with HOPE!
December 26, 2008
I don't usually like these "fluff" books on mothering, but this collection of short, personal, vignettes about the struggles, hopes, fears, and blessings of motherhood really hit the spot. It's a strange thing to say, I suppose, that a book "hit the spot," but I don't know how else to describe it. I was going to toss this book, which I received free in the mail from MOPS International, aside unread, because inspirational mothering books are not generally my cup of tea. I'm glad I didn't.
I ended up reading the whole thing, and although the quality of the stories is varied (some are quite predictable and cliché ridden), I found myself affected by a number of them. Unlike many inspirational books on mothering, this one did not generally strike me as cutesy or insubstantial. I felt I could relate to a number of the stories, and some of them genuinely inspired me to try harder to be a better mom and to pay more attention to these precious childhood moments that will not last for long.
The stories are short and can be enjoyed in small bites by a busy mother who is frequently interrupted by small children. The vignettes are well organized around a series of topics that are of concern to mothers (identity, growth, relationships, help, perspective, and hope). Each section ends with questions for reflection. These I generally skipped as they are pretty typical of devotional type books, although they might be useful for discussion and sharing in an intimate small group setting.
I ended up reading the whole thing, and although the quality of the stories is varied (some are quite predictable and cliché ridden), I found myself affected by a number of them. Unlike many inspirational books on mothering, this one did not generally strike me as cutesy or insubstantial. I felt I could relate to a number of the stories, and some of them genuinely inspired me to try harder to be a better mom and to pay more attention to these precious childhood moments that will not last for long.
The stories are short and can be enjoyed in small bites by a busy mother who is frequently interrupted by small children. The vignettes are well organized around a series of topics that are of concern to mothers (identity, growth, relationships, help, perspective, and hope). Each section ends with questions for reflection. These I generally skipped as they are pretty typical of devotional type books, although they might be useful for discussion and sharing in an intimate small group setting.
April 11, 2011
This book was free with my Mothers of Preschoolers membership 2 years ago. It is a collection of short (1-4 page) stories (à la Chicken Soup for the Soul) written by mothers about their challenges in raising small children. The stories are grouped into thematic chapters (i.e. Perspective, Hope, Finding Help), and each chapter ends with reflective questions. There were several nice stories in the book, and some of the reflective questions were nice. I do not, however, feel like I gathered any Earth-shaking knowledge on parenting. It was a nice, light read, but it should be taken for what it's worth and nothing more. If you like Chicken Soup books, then this is a nice book, as long as you are alright with several of the stories being infused with Biblical quotes and Christian perspectives (as MOPS, Inc. is a Christian organization).
September 9, 2009
I was turned off by the foreword and the first couple stories. I thought that they were stories about giving themselves a backwards pat on the back. I also had kind of a bad attitude at that time, so that probably had something to do with it. But I picked the book up six months later and really enjoyed it. It was full of honest, real stories about the ups and downs of motherhood. This would be a book to read while waiting in the doctors office, waiting in line for the car wash, maybe a few stories before bed (each one is just a couple pages max). It might get tedious if you read it cover to cover all at once.
February 4, 2012
I liked this book because it wasn't a mothering book, it was a book for moms. It wasn't about parenting how-to's or advice. It was simply a collection of experiences from several different ladies. I also liked it because it was all about moms in my stage, with kids baby-preschool age. There were definitely lots of stories I could relate to. Luckily, I have a pretty large network of moms of very young children, but for someone who doesn't, this book would go a long way in helping them feel like they are not alone. The third reason I liked this book was that each entry was short...perfect for my 5 minute hideouts in the bathroom. I own it, if anyone would like to borrow it.
July 14, 2008
I received this book from MOPS in my membership packet for the upcoming fall semester. I really enjoyed the stories from many moms - who go through the same things I go through as the mother of a toddler. There were also moms who go through things much worse than I can imagine... and it made me thankful. I think the best thing I got from this book is that you can learn from every situation and you can control your attitude!
July 20, 2010
This was a collection of stories about different parts of Mommyhood.
Most of the stories were really interesting and heartwarming, though there are several stories that do have to with the loss of a child / baby / miscarriage that were hard to read.
It is also from a Christian perspective (I didn't realize that it was a MOPs book until I was into it a bit), so there is a lot of talk of God in the book as well.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book!
Most of the stories were really interesting and heartwarming, though there are several stories that do have to with the loss of a child / baby / miscarriage that were hard to read.
It is also from a Christian perspective (I didn't realize that it was a MOPs book until I was into it a bit), so there is a lot of talk of God in the book as well.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book!
June 21, 2011
This book contains short stories by many different mothers. They were divided into topic sections, and each story had a sort of moral to it. While it was interesting and sometimes encouraging to read other moms' stories, I was also frustrated by the feeling that I was supposed to learn something from each story rather than just enjoying the shared experiences of motherhood and drawing my own conclusions.
September 3, 2008
This is one of the best books I have read about "being a mom" - most are rather dull and uninspiring or just plain silly. This was clear, organized, inspiring, thought provoking... it made me excited to be a mom, made me think hard about how I want to be with my kids and how I can and should be embracing the growth that happens when you have kids. Yeah!
Currently Reading
September 22, 2008For moms, spiritually based book (got it from MOPS). It's a compilation of little stories, experiences from other moms. Reminds us all to re-find yourself after becoming a mommy, and not lose yourself any farther. Also lets you know you're human, and get angry, upset, and make lots of mistakes. (and so do lots of others, and it's okay)
February 16, 2009
this was my MOPS chapter's video curriculum this year. it's easy reading. nothing earth-shattering or super-deep, but it's light and encouraging if you're a mother of small children. it's formatted into short-story format, which makes it easy to finish when you're a mom who does most of her reading in the bathroom. :0) sorry...it's TMI, but it's my reality!
December 14, 2009
I enjoyed this collection of short stories from other mothers. Some I enjoyed more than others, but they were all short so if I didn't like one, it didn't last too long. They were mostly pretty real stories of their experiences in mothering (as opposed to how-to or advice stories) although there was good advice to be gotten.
October 6, 2008
Good book for the mommy who has little time. Short chapters & subchapters give you time to reflect on the life lessons learned in your journey of being a mom. Makes you rethink some of those really rough days.
January 29, 2009
this book came along at the right time for me. it told uplifting and heartfelt stories of moms and their struggles to be both mommy and self. i would recommend reading it to any mom of preschoolers.
September 15, 2010
This was a very good inspirational book for mothers of all ages. I found that alot of the stories have matched instances in my life that I have needed to address as well. A must have for any mother! A++
June 25, 2011
This collection of short stories from other mommies has truly inspired me in all aspects of my life. It's a must read and will definitely help you to rediscover yourself as a wife, mother, sister and friend! LOVED it!
July 28, 2008
This book was an easy read but filled with a lot of introspective excerpts from other mothers. Gave me a lot of food for thought and helped put some of the trials of motherhood into perspective.
August 14, 2008
Very good and a easy read.
August 11, 2008
Love this book! Great stories about motherhood to make you feel like you're not the only one!
February 8, 2009
Nice little uplifting mom stories. This came with our MOPS membership this year.
April 30, 2009
I'm a sucker for these types of books - the "Chicken Soup" kind of heart-warming short stories that make you tear up from time to time.
January 30, 2009
Good book, easy to read with stories that you can go back to and read again becuase you relate to what the writers went through.
August 5, 2009
I liked this book. We used for our MOPS Chat and it worked well to start great conversations.
April 22, 2011
This is a great, uplifting book for Moms! Full of grace, wisdom and truth... even the ugly truth that all moms need to hear!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews