Good-Enough Mother: The Perfectly Imperfect Book of Parenting

by René Syler, Karen Moline

An Early Show anchorwoman recounts her experiences as a "proudly imperfect" mother of two, offering a reassuring portrayal of modern motherhood that suggests that children can emerge healthy and well-adjusted in spite of the concessions inherent to today's challenging work-life balance. 50,000 first printing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Lane Patten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like her style, but she gets kind of repetitive...I get it, we don't need to be perfect (thank god, I got it a long time ago!)

[Bree · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for something that was less personal and a bit more like the "I was a better mom before i had kids" book I read right before this. It is mostly her struggle on how to keep her (wonderful in my eyes) job and raise her kids. It doesn't really relate to what I am currently doing and the age is a bit older than my daughter. I am just trying to deal with a 2 year old without losing my mind so I might appreciate this a few years down the road.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the author's message; that it is okay, and even preferable, to not be a perfect mother and kids will still turn out normal. I appreciate her honesty regarding the difficulty of parenting and the need for mothers to still take care of their personal needs. However, I wasn't expecting as much of a memoir as it turned out to be. The writing was a bit marginal and pretty repetitive. I got about 2/3rds of the way through but I just couldn't finish it.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

About halfway through, but I am really enjoying Syler's thoughts on being a mother, especially one who is equally devoted to her children and herself. I keep agreeing with her on the thought behind being a "working mom" (ever heard of a "working dad"? didn't think so...) and on being a mother who does her best, and that is good enough.

[Rakisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderfully sweet and motivational book about being a mother in these current times. It's funny, moving, and relatable. It proves that the woes each mom (or dad) have are not new and won't be new when our children become parents. Not as funny (nor as cynical) as Naptime is the New Happy Hour.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not a preachy how to book, but more of a parenting memoir. I found it an easy read, with a couple of nuggets of mommy-wisdom. Nothing earth-moving, but there was quite a bit of affirmation for my own parenting styles and choices.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a light, entertaining look into the family and motherhood adventure of news anchor Rene Syler. As is the case in many families, her two children are completely different. This is a nice read for a mother and it serves as a light-hearted reminder that "good enough" is often good enough!

[Christy · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a giant waste of time. The anectotes are boring, the advice useless and her parenting style uninspiring. I would defintely not recommend.

[Catherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking for practical tips, and this was more funny essays, but they weren't really that entertaining...

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good thus far!

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and real. Whether you're a stay at home Mom or a Mom who also works outside of the home, you'll find things to love about this book. And you'll laugh out loud. Funny read for Moms.

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting. More autobiography than parenting.

[Brigitte · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was more a memoir than a parenting book.