The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers by Meg Meeker M.D.

I just finished Meg Meeker's The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers and I found it to be a book full of great insight to any mum. I've read several "mom" books in the past couple years, mostly ones aimed at the stay at home/Catholic mom, and most usually contain some good points you'd never thought about and lots of things you've discovered on your own. And I know I'm no expert as I've only been a mom for 4 and bit years, but I think its good to get a little encouragement in the form of a book every once in a while. 


Meeker's approach readily acknowledges the important role of faith in motherhood. Faith in your importance in your role as mother, faith in God, faith and trust in God in relation to your children, and the importance of actually practicing that faith. Meeker also focuses on the importance of solitude, good friendships, and saying no to competition. I loved all the points she made and agreed wholeheartedly with continuing to cultivate your friendships with supportive friends, and I probably really needed to read the chapter on saying no to competition. 


I think these books are great for everyone to read, but specifically for new and young moms. Just as you learn about yourself through life, you learn about yourself as a mother as you grow with your child. There is so much pressure from outside influences that tell moms so many different things that its sometimes impossible to discover your own instincts, especially if you're not surrounded by equally supportive, faithful, mum-types. And at the same time there are so many mom-heresies floating around in our society. Meeker addresses the need for more and more money, the unstated belief that you should be constantly over-extended and over-scheduled, and the belief that more things and bigger houses make you and your kids happier. All these things are really distractions from from our goals as mothers. Its just amazing how easily we allow these errors to take over instead of staying true to our beliefs, even if it means cutting down our kids schedules, making time for solitude for ourselves, and sacrificing extra income for our family. Sometimes its good to hear an outside voice affirming what we believe.