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Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations
The empowering book from host of the podcast Motherkind. It will give readers the tools they need to thrive in modern motherhood and become their happiest, most alive, fulfilled, empowered selves – for both themselves and their children.
Motherkind will unlock the promised joy of motherhood.
This book will transform the thinking of every mother no matter their circumstances. Are you currently feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, pulled in a million directions, conflicted, lost, unsure of yourself, giving to everyone but yourself, and are you listening to the persistent inner critic and “you’re not good enough” voice? Well, Zoe is here to change all of that.
Through proven transformational coaching tools, world-leading expertise from podcast guests and transformational stories from the Motherkind community, this book will show every mother how to find themselves again and shed the ‘martyr mother’ bind. It will teach you how to remember who you are and will awaken the innate wisdom, power and magnificence within.
You will learn how to set boundaries, you’ll stop doing what you think you “should” and start doing what lights you up, you’ll be kinder to yourself and free up mental and physical energy, you’ll connect with yourself and those you love more deeply than ever before.
Motherkind will give you a new unshakeable confidence in yourself and your relationship with your children.
Motherkind will unlock the promised joy of motherhood.
This book will transform the thinking of every mother no matter their circumstances. Are you currently feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, pulled in a million directions, conflicted, lost, unsure of yourself, giving to everyone but yourself, and are you listening to the persistent inner critic and “you’re not good enough” voice? Well, Zoe is here to change all of that.
Through proven transformational coaching tools, world-leading expertise from podcast guests and transformational stories from the Motherkind community, this book will show every mother how to find themselves again and shed the ‘martyr mother’ bind. It will teach you how to remember who you are and will awaken the innate wisdom, power and magnificence within.
You will learn how to set boundaries, you’ll stop doing what you think you “should” and start doing what lights you up, you’ll be kinder to yourself and free up mental and physical energy, you’ll connect with yourself and those you love more deeply than ever before.
Motherkind will give you a new unshakeable confidence in yourself and your relationship with your children.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2024
263 people are currently reading
1519 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
October 12, 2024
Modern motherhood is insane. We’re expected to parent perfectly, bounce back, enjoy every moment, forge ahead at work and keep smiling through all the endless expectations – all whilst forgetting about ourselves.
Topics covered:
• Understand the pressures of modern motherhood
• Support yourself through the daily ups and downs
• Change your relationship with guilt, and finally feel good enough
• Handle your challenging emotions and reactions in a new way
• Learn why ‘self-care’ doesn’t work – and what does
• Ditch the idea of ‘balance’ and embrace boundaries instead
.
This book is such a goldmine- I am popping this review up before having read every word because it’s the type of book you pick up, read the relevant chapter and then leave it until you need next. However, it is written in such easy language, it’s relevant and it’s full of advice, tips and wisdom. I love that each chapter has a summary at the end, which is perfect for people like me who try and absorb all the fantastic information, yet it disappears out of your head as soon as you turn the page! This book should be on every mother’s bookshelf to provide the validation that every mother needs, and revisited again and again at different stages in life.
Topics covered:
• Understand the pressures of modern motherhood
• Support yourself through the daily ups and downs
• Change your relationship with guilt, and finally feel good enough
• Handle your challenging emotions and reactions in a new way
• Learn why ‘self-care’ doesn’t work – and what does
• Ditch the idea of ‘balance’ and embrace boundaries instead
.
This book is such a goldmine- I am popping this review up before having read every word because it’s the type of book you pick up, read the relevant chapter and then leave it until you need next. However, it is written in such easy language, it’s relevant and it’s full of advice, tips and wisdom. I love that each chapter has a summary at the end, which is perfect for people like me who try and absorb all the fantastic information, yet it disappears out of your head as soon as you turn the page! This book should be on every mother’s bookshelf to provide the validation that every mother needs, and revisited again and again at different stages in life.
May 23, 2025
This took me 3 months to get through as I struggle with concentrating on audiobooks 🙈 . But I wanted to take in every word. Bloody brilliant book. Every mum should read
May 23, 2025
Motherkind is a thoughtful and compassionate exploration of the transition into motherhood. What sets it apart is its focus on the mother’s inner experience, rather than just the practicalities of child-rearing. It emphasizes the idea that the more self-aware and conscious we are, the better parents we can become.
While it didn’t introduce groundbreaking concepts, it served as a powerful and timely reminder to be gentle with myself, to reflect on my reactions and behaviors, and to nurture emotional confidence in my little one. A gentle, encouraging book that I’m really glad I picked up.
While it didn’t introduce groundbreaking concepts, it served as a powerful and timely reminder to be gentle with myself, to reflect on my reactions and behaviors, and to nurture emotional confidence in my little one. A gentle, encouraging book that I’m really glad I picked up.
May 22, 2025
"This is what I know to be true: there was nothing wrong with me; I was finding it hard because it is hard."
A validating and empowering book, full of examples that resonate and practical tools that you can quickly apply in day-to-day, as well as personal stories that keep it engaging.
A validating and empowering book, full of examples that resonate and practical tools that you can quickly apply in day-to-day, as well as personal stories that keep it engaging.
November 14, 2025
The book I needed to read at exactly the right time
November 7, 2024
The most validating, empathetic, accurate and empowering book about new motherhood Ive ever read. It talks about matrescence - the huge transformation a woman goes through when she becomes a mother. There are nice journalling prompts, self care tips and interesting psychological insights as well. Every new mother should read this book as should their support circle.
March 21, 2025
I have cried so many times listening to this book whilst on walks in maternity leave. I have realised so many things about myself and the type of mother I wish to be to my little girl, the cycles I want to break & the boundaries I need to set.
I cannot recommend this book enough to anyone who is a mother.
I cannot recommend this book enough to anyone who is a mother.
October 22, 2025
Absolutely loved this book which offered so many relatable feelings, helpful information and tools for being a mother.
I loved the style of the book and the helpful visual metaphors such as Perfectionism being described as windscreen wipers for your achievements, instantly wiping them away and telling you to do more. I liked the self work questions at the end of each chapter to help you work on each area.
Information from book:
-transformation of matrescence that deserves more respect (brains change more than any other time and lives etc)
- gap between what we think we should be as a mother and how it is for us.
-power of our thoughts (needing to embrace and not fight, then let go of negative thoughts/ negativity bias of thoughts )
-‘Intensive mothering’ - huge pressure on us from society, (more access to info more anxiety we feel, mental load, perfectionism)
- Perfectionism.
It will screw you over because motherhood is so inherently imperfect and perfectionism robs you of energy and joy
- Guilt is only useful when we can do something about it. Often we mislabel feelings as being “guilt” when actually Tension / standards / inner critic / permeating / shame
-Trust that you were meant to learn what you learned at the right time. (don’t worry yourself for what you wish you’d known before.)
Quote:
Maya Angelou “ do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
-Boundaries are a way of recognising you’re not limitless, two types:
external limits we set with other people.
internal boundaries are limits we set with ourselves
-Self-care is unhelpful phrase as requires time and money. The right phrase is energy management which is opposite of that, It’s about taking pressure off and saving your energy. Focus on energy givers and energy drains for things in your life.
-we’re most reactive and have emotional response to experiences of our children that have happened to us when we were younger (eg your child being left out) Use this trigger to grow in self-awareness and heal part of yourself
Tools:
-Look in the direction you want to go because that’s where you’ll end up.
-Work out what is important to you and then take pressure off all of the other things that stress you out.
-RAS (reticular activating system) is part of the brain that controls the way you filter what you see.
You CAN control your RAS by dictating what is important to you (positive beliefs like feeling you’re good enough rather than feeling unworthy and then “seeing” worthier people around you and focusing on people rolling their eyes, judging you etc )
-For perfectionism: focus on how things feel, not how they look.
-NACK as tool to cope with emotions
N notice - noticing how it feels in body and naming it
(Chest tightening, emotion of anger)
A accept- validate feelings (by welcoming the emotion and accepting it it will pass more quickly)
(Eg it’s not surprising. I’m feeling angry considering I feel judged .)
C Choose - control how you react to the feeling. Feelings aren’t facts and we don’t have to act on them, we can learn to respond more and react less.
(I will choose to calm myself and not take it personally)
K knowledge - having curiosity about your emotional reactions will enable you to examine why you’re feeling a certain way and what changes you might want to make as a result.
-Use gratitude every day to reflect on the small things you are grateful for to improve your Mood.
-We get decision fatigue because of overwhelming decisions in a day when a parent. Learn to give a decision a rating from 0-10 on how important it is and don’t waste time on less important ones
-When worrying- Practice reframing you’re thinking from what if to the what is. Keep coming back to your current reality. Remember you often give far more weight to worst case scenarios than common possible realities and use your past experiences to remember you have coped with challenges.
-Toolkit for stress:
ACCEPT - where you are now. Resisting takes energy you don’t have.
PRIORITISE - what do you need to do right now. What is your capacity? How have your priorities changed?
TRUST - in your ability to handle the curveball, you have handled every single one up till this point.
I loved the style of the book and the helpful visual metaphors such as Perfectionism being described as windscreen wipers for your achievements, instantly wiping them away and telling you to do more. I liked the self work questions at the end of each chapter to help you work on each area.
Information from book:
-transformation of matrescence that deserves more respect (brains change more than any other time and lives etc)
- gap between what we think we should be as a mother and how it is for us.
-power of our thoughts (needing to embrace and not fight, then let go of negative thoughts/ negativity bias of thoughts )
-‘Intensive mothering’ - huge pressure on us from society, (more access to info more anxiety we feel, mental load, perfectionism)
- Perfectionism.
It will screw you over because motherhood is so inherently imperfect and perfectionism robs you of energy and joy
- Guilt is only useful when we can do something about it. Often we mislabel feelings as being “guilt” when actually Tension / standards / inner critic / permeating / shame
-Trust that you were meant to learn what you learned at the right time. (don’t worry yourself for what you wish you’d known before.)
Quote:
Maya Angelou “ do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
-Boundaries are a way of recognising you’re not limitless, two types:
external limits we set with other people.
internal boundaries are limits we set with ourselves
-Self-care is unhelpful phrase as requires time and money. The right phrase is energy management which is opposite of that, It’s about taking pressure off and saving your energy. Focus on energy givers and energy drains for things in your life.
-we’re most reactive and have emotional response to experiences of our children that have happened to us when we were younger (eg your child being left out) Use this trigger to grow in self-awareness and heal part of yourself
Tools:
-Look in the direction you want to go because that’s where you’ll end up.
-Work out what is important to you and then take pressure off all of the other things that stress you out.
-RAS (reticular activating system) is part of the brain that controls the way you filter what you see.
You CAN control your RAS by dictating what is important to you (positive beliefs like feeling you’re good enough rather than feeling unworthy and then “seeing” worthier people around you and focusing on people rolling their eyes, judging you etc )
-For perfectionism: focus on how things feel, not how they look.
-NACK as tool to cope with emotions
N notice - noticing how it feels in body and naming it
(Chest tightening, emotion of anger)
A accept- validate feelings (by welcoming the emotion and accepting it it will pass more quickly)
(Eg it’s not surprising. I’m feeling angry considering I feel judged .)
C Choose - control how you react to the feeling. Feelings aren’t facts and we don’t have to act on them, we can learn to respond more and react less.
(I will choose to calm myself and not take it personally)
K knowledge - having curiosity about your emotional reactions will enable you to examine why you’re feeling a certain way and what changes you might want to make as a result.
-Use gratitude every day to reflect on the small things you are grateful for to improve your Mood.
-We get decision fatigue because of overwhelming decisions in a day when a parent. Learn to give a decision a rating from 0-10 on how important it is and don’t waste time on less important ones
-When worrying- Practice reframing you’re thinking from what if to the what is. Keep coming back to your current reality. Remember you often give far more weight to worst case scenarios than common possible realities and use your past experiences to remember you have coped with challenges.
-Toolkit for stress:
ACCEPT - where you are now. Resisting takes energy you don’t have.
PRIORITISE - what do you need to do right now. What is your capacity? How have your priorities changed?
TRUST - in your ability to handle the curveball, you have handled every single one up till this point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2024
This is a must read for all parents, from expectant parents to those with adult children (yes, dads too!). Zoe extends so much compassion and kindness throughout this book, and some much needed validation too. I took my time reading it because it is filled with so much information to digest, lots of practical tools to implement and practice in your daily life, and it invites you to really dig deep and do the hard work. This is a book I already know I will be revisiting throughout my motherhood journey, and I will keep recommending it to all the parents in my life. Thank you Zoe!
April 16, 2025
This book is brilliant and so important. I devoured it and with each page I both learnt something new and was reminded of things and truths I already knew but somehow had forgotten. Almost every word felt relatable and validating. I’ll definitely be going back to these many underlined paragraphs and dog-eared pages.
April 22, 2025
I feel like this book has genuinely changed my life. Probably gonna be one I buy and try to re-read and keep learning from. Could not recommend enough if you are in any stage of motherhood!
November 24, 2024
Really liked the concept and there was some good advice. The writing style was a bit too 'self help' for my personal taste but that's just me, would still recommend to new mums.
March 1, 2025
When it comes to self-help books I think that the term “life changing” is used a bit too freely. However, I can 100% confirm that after reading Motherkind, my life has fundamentally changed for the better.
Zoe Blaskey is a powerhouse. Her words (and them of the other gurus who are quoted throughout) are going to stick with me for the rest of my life. Matrescence is by far the most difficult period of my life thus far, and this book really helped to show me how I will never be the same person I was post-motherhood, but instead I will emerge as a 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 version of myself. This book has led me to feel free and more confident in my abilities as a mother. This is absolutely a work in practice but I now have the tools I need to drop the guilt/shame, start listening to my intuition and, consequently, be the best mother to my children. I have took many pictures of pages and stored them in an album on my phone so I can look back when needed (there are also bulleted summaries at the end of each chapter!).
This is exactly the book my subconscious has been searching for, and I will not stop preaching it from the rooftops.
If you are a mother, you 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 to read this book. Trust me, you will thank me later.
Zoe Blaskey is a powerhouse. Her words (and them of the other gurus who are quoted throughout) are going to stick with me for the rest of my life. Matrescence is by far the most difficult period of my life thus far, and this book really helped to show me how I will never be the same person I was post-motherhood, but instead I will emerge as a 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 version of myself. This book has led me to feel free and more confident in my abilities as a mother. This is absolutely a work in practice but I now have the tools I need to drop the guilt/shame, start listening to my intuition and, consequently, be the best mother to my children. I have took many pictures of pages and stored them in an album on my phone so I can look back when needed (there are also bulleted summaries at the end of each chapter!).
This is exactly the book my subconscious has been searching for, and I will not stop preaching it from the rooftops.
If you are a mother, you 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 to read this book. Trust me, you will thank me later.
July 28, 2025
I eagerly awaited this book and it didn’t disappoint. It made me feel seen and heard. It validated so many experiences. It got me thinking about things, and sometimes even in different ways. I loved it and would recommend to any mum out there. Loved the inclusion of so many experts in the field and the information being presented in a quite accessible way (though I am psychologically minded so might have found it easier to engage).
I think I would have liked more real life examples - might be hard to get consent but even if it’s fictional people made up based on several real people, it would have brought some of the concepts more to life. Existing examples felt a bit more self-promoting, it would be good to have people at the start and mid points of the journey too.
Also I haven’t done the homework/activities yet - classic mum life, so important though - so can’t comment on how effective these are, but even thinking slightly differently about few areas has already helped (though it is building on a previous therapeutic input, not sure how effective it would be if I didn’t have those foundations already in place).
But overall, love love love and so grateful it’s out there.
I think I would have liked more real life examples - might be hard to get consent but even if it’s fictional people made up based on several real people, it would have brought some of the concepts more to life. Existing examples felt a bit more self-promoting, it would be good to have people at the start and mid points of the journey too.
Also I haven’t done the homework/activities yet - classic mum life, so important though - so can’t comment on how effective these are, but even thinking slightly differently about few areas has already helped (though it is building on a previous therapeutic input, not sure how effective it would be if I didn’t have those foundations already in place).
But overall, love love love and so grateful it’s out there.
January 9, 2025
An absolutely fantastic book on motherhood that everyone should read. I loved the themes covered in the book and the kindness and compassion pouring from it. Scattered through each chapter are anecdotes, musings and things to add to your 'toolkit' which were great too. I've already gifted this to one friend and will be recommending it widely to others. The only thing that let it down was the most irritating narration on Audible that I've ever had to listen to, never heard someone say EVERYYYYYY so much in my life (incredibly difficult to ignore once you've noticed it!) 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
February 7, 2025
I have no idea how long it took me to read this but a couple of months that span the end of my first pregnancy and the first full month of motherhood. My only feedback is I wish the chapters were slightly shorter - that’s just a personal preference and speaks to my need to be productive. A book I JUST MIGHT read again, and one that I will definitely gift my mama friends 💚
March 28, 2025
Absolutely brilliant! I've never agreed with someone on a subject so much. It's brutally honest and beautiful and not only that it shares stories from other mothers and provides really useful information and techniques to get through this new chapter in our lives.... Becoming a Mother!
Highly recommend!
Highly recommend!
December 2, 2025
4.1/5 stars. Might bump that score up as the book sits with me for a bit longer. I was surprised by how much I liked this, especially since I listened to the audiobook and often find the British accent distracting. Also, the author isn't an authority figure of any kind just a life coach and influencer but I still found her advice rewarding in a validating way.
December 16, 2025
This book is incredible. I’d highly recommend it to any mom - whether you’re expecting, brand new, or well into motherhood. It takes little pieces of pure gold from dozens of self-help books and weaves them together through the lens of motherhood.
I can’t say enough good things about it. I know I’ll be coming back to the ideas in this book for a long time.
I can’t say enough good things about it. I know I’ll be coming back to the ideas in this book for a long time.
February 12, 2025
What a book! It literally captured everything that goes through my mind as a mother and made the rollercoaster of this journey feel so much more normalised.
Full of inspired tips, tools and ideas.
I connected so much with the themes and the writing was relatable and welcoming.
Full of inspired tips, tools and ideas.
I connected so much with the themes and the writing was relatable and welcoming.
July 13, 2025
I'm torn about how to review this book. Overall it was good, and contained lots of little gems of advice and help for new mums but I feel it was very repetitive and could have been cut down quite a bit.
July 19, 2025
Written with the best of intentions to support mothers. Some good chapters that felt relevant. There were several moments though where I flicked through pages as it was very much of a self help book and I wasn't interested in this.
August 2, 2025
Just what I needed to read to start my motherhood journey. This book has empowered me to be the best mommy to my boy 🩵 informative and educational without being too heavy and I enjoyed the structure of the book.
September 20, 2024
This was an absolutely wonderful helpful book. I got so much from it, and I highly recommend it to mothers in any phase of their matrescance. ❤️
January 22, 2025
Best parenting book I’ve ever read
April 25, 2025
My favourite book on motherhood.
May 6, 2025
Excellent resource for mums and women
May 26, 2025
Geared more for new moms but beautifully written nonetheless
June 27, 2025
Every mama should read this 🩵
July 22, 2025
Therapy in a book and an absolute warm hug.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews