I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids: Reinventing Modern Motherhood

by Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile

"I don't know how she does it " is an oft-heard refrain about mothers today. Funnily enough, most moms agreethey have no idea how they get it done, or whether they even want the job. Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile spoke to mothers of every stripeworking, stay-at-home, part-timeand found a surprisingly similar trend in their interviews. After enthusing about her lucky life for twenty minutes, a mother would then break down and admit that her child's...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 081185650X
• ISBN13: 9780811856508
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.5" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

book for young mothers

I enjoyed this book. I recommend it to mothers of young children who are trying to do it all to be a good mother. It helps you to understand that you are not the only mother struggling. While there are mothers that look like that have it altogether on the outside you get a peak on the inside to see they are having as much trouble as you. It also helps you to view it with a sense of humor, something one needs when raising kids. It will help you understand what is importaant and what isn't. Hopefully it will help lift the quilt mothers place on themselves.

I'm not alone!

I thought I was alone in all of my feelings of self-doubt and questioning every mothering choice I make, until I sat down and read this book. It's simply amazing. I could have written this book myself. Any mother you know, especially those with small kids, deserve to read this book and know the truth--that they are not alone in their feelings of guilt, impossible expectations, and lonliness. Thank you to the authors for their honesty and humor. I am recommending this to every one of my mommy friends!

funny and comforting without being negative

I really enjoyed this book and gave it to many for Mother's Day. It reminds you that you are not alone in the overwhelming job of being a mother! However, it was not negative and didn't "man bash"--it was refreshing.

good for dads too

Very interesting and very witty take on how challenging motherhood (and fatherhood) can be. I thought it all rang very true.... especially about the the overblown and idealic expectations that we have for oursleves as parents and spouses. I thought the Dad chapter was great. Loved the guy on the phone in the garage while the kid is crying. Men don't feel guilt like women do and that is very true. Of course, in this kind of "self help " book you have reflections on lots of obvious stuff which makes you say, hey I should write a book ( I had the same feeling after reading Covey's 7 Habits of Effective People). Bottom line is that this is a entertaining (but still serious discussion on the modern family's challeges). The design layout (and the humor throughout) makes it an easy to read. I blew through it in an evening.

Now this is a great book!

This really is a great book. I was surprised how much I liked it. It was funny, light hearted and a quick read. The quotes are fabulous. They have these dirty little secrets that resonate with each and everyone of us. We all can relate to this book. If you are a mom you have got to read this book to realize that eventhough you feel like you are alone, you are not alone and we are all in this together. They discuss as moms how we put way too much pressure on ourselves, we have an unrealistic image of what a good mom is, and that you know what we don't have to be perfect all of the time. They do all of this in such a light hearted way with amazing quotes from fantastic women. i hope you all enjoy this book as much as I did! It is perfect over a glass of wine or a nice bubble bath. Enjoy!