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The Stay-at-home Survival Guide
Melissa Stanton’s The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide is an all-encompassing, truth-telling how-to book that addresses the many practical and psychological issues facing stay-at-home moms today.
How do you create time for yourself? Is there really time to do it all (feed the kids, keep them busy, clean the house, balance the checkbook, and take a shower)? How do you deal with the absence of the “professional you"?
An invaluable resource for mothers, The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide includes interviews with stay-at-home moms, discussions with experts (family therapists, educators, medical specialists, career counselors), checklists to help you make the most of your time and keep you balanced, and Melissa Stanton’s own experiences leaving a career as an editor for People magazine to become a stay-at-home mom herself.
How do you create time for yourself? Is there really time to do it all (feed the kids, keep them busy, clean the house, balance the checkbook, and take a shower)? How do you deal with the absence of the “professional you"?
An invaluable resource for mothers, The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide includes interviews with stay-at-home moms, discussions with experts (family therapists, educators, medical specialists, career counselors), checklists to help you make the most of your time and keep you balanced, and Melissa Stanton’s own experiences leaving a career as an editor for People magazine to become a stay-at-home mom herself.
- GenresParentingNonfiction
401 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2008
16 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Stanton
10 books1 followerMelissa works as a website editor in Washington D.C. Previously, she did similar (albeit pre-web) work in New York at Time Inc., where she was a senior editor at LIFE and People magazines. In between, she spent several years as a part-time editorial consultant and full-time stay-at-home mom to her son and twin daughters. She's the author of two books:
* "The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide: Field-tested strategies for staying smart, sane and connected while caring for your kids" (a "support group in a book" for stay-at-home moms, published by Seal Press/Perseus Books)
www.stayathomesurvivalguide.com
* "My Pen Pal, Santa" (a children's picture book published by Random House) www.mypenpalsanta.com
In addition, Melissa is a contributor to the books "Courageous Parents, Confident Kids," edited by Amy Tiemann, Ph.D., and "Dare, Dream, Do" by Whitney Johnson.
* "The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide: Field-tested strategies for staying smart, sane and connected while caring for your kids" (a "support group in a book" for stay-at-home moms, published by Seal Press/Perseus Books)
www.stayathomesurvivalguide.com
* "My Pen Pal, Santa" (a children's picture book published by Random House) www.mypenpalsanta.com
In addition, Melissa is a contributor to the books "Courageous Parents, Confident Kids," edited by Amy Tiemann, Ph.D., and "Dare, Dream, Do" by Whitney Johnson.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
March 8, 2009
I wasn't even sure if I was going to put this on my Goodreads shelf. I checked it out on a whim, thinking, "Well, I guess I stay at home now. Maybe there's something I should know about it. Maybe I need to be guided." I didn't check it out because I was feeling dumb, insane or disconnected (referring to the subtitle). I just wondered what there was to say about staying at home.
A lot, apparently. Like a few hundred pages' worth. The author is a stay-at-home mom herself (who, you know, wrote a book). She also used to be a top-level editor (her words) at People and Life magazines before quitting. So some of her experiences in this realm are not going to ring true with her readers...yes, leaving a high-profile job where you make $200k a year would be a difficult decision. And yes, if you want to work part-time or from home, freelancing and consulting (does ANYONE know what that word really means?) are good options. Just not for...most people. This book is not based on her personal experience alone, though. She surveyed several dozen women about their experiences and quoted them liberally throughout the book.
The content of this book is not bad. It's not a "how to make a macaroni necklace with your 3-year old" book. It's more like: what do you do with your 401k? What about disability insurance? What are the issues that a marriage might face when 2 incomes become 1? How do you make friends, and why should you? How do you use your time at home keeping yourself aware of what's happening in your career field while you're away? Smart stuff, just not riveting.
I think this would be a great book for someone who is really struggling with their choice to stay at home, or someone who is pregnant and trying to decide whether that is the right option for her. For me, it was neither particularly affirming nor challenging...just something to get through to make sure I didn't miss any not-to-be-missed wisdom. I didn't.
A lot, apparently. Like a few hundred pages' worth. The author is a stay-at-home mom herself (who, you know, wrote a book). She also used to be a top-level editor (her words) at People and Life magazines before quitting. So some of her experiences in this realm are not going to ring true with her readers...yes, leaving a high-profile job where you make $200k a year would be a difficult decision. And yes, if you want to work part-time or from home, freelancing and consulting (does ANYONE know what that word really means?) are good options. Just not for...most people. This book is not based on her personal experience alone, though. She surveyed several dozen women about their experiences and quoted them liberally throughout the book.
The content of this book is not bad. It's not a "how to make a macaroni necklace with your 3-year old" book. It's more like: what do you do with your 401k? What about disability insurance? What are the issues that a marriage might face when 2 incomes become 1? How do you make friends, and why should you? How do you use your time at home keeping yourself aware of what's happening in your career field while you're away? Smart stuff, just not riveting.
I think this would be a great book for someone who is really struggling with their choice to stay at home, or someone who is pregnant and trying to decide whether that is the right option for her. For me, it was neither particularly affirming nor challenging...just something to get through to make sure I didn't miss any not-to-be-missed wisdom. I didn't.
November 19, 2008
Okay, "read" is an exaggeration. Skimmed would be more accurate, but I feel I gleaned the message of the book several times over in the little I did read. I will summarize for you: "It's okay that you don't love being a full-time mom every minute, and that you often feel unfulfilled, because other moms feel the same way! There, isn't that better?" If you're dealing with a guilt complex over your lack of joy in motherhood, this might make you feel better.
I actually checked this book out because the "Field-Tested Strategies" part suggested that there would be some concrete ideas for making my time at home with my children more constructive, but all it turned out to be was validation for your choice to stay home, despite the many down sides of full time mothering.
Since my experience being a full-time mom thus far has been overwhelmingly positive, and I've not yet felt pushed to the brink of insanity by poopy diapers and a screaming toddler, it was validation I didn't need. If you're looking for some sensible suggestions in the "staying sane" department, I'd check out this talk: http://lds.org/conference/talk/displa...
I actually checked this book out because the "Field-Tested Strategies" part suggested that there would be some concrete ideas for making my time at home with my children more constructive, but all it turned out to be was validation for your choice to stay home, despite the many down sides of full time mothering.
Since my experience being a full-time mom thus far has been overwhelmingly positive, and I've not yet felt pushed to the brink of insanity by poopy diapers and a screaming toddler, it was validation I didn't need. If you're looking for some sensible suggestions in the "staying sane" department, I'd check out this talk: http://lds.org/conference/talk/displa...
February 17, 2017
Requested this from the library when I decided to not go back to work. In the time it took to get this book, I started working part-time and taking some classes. So, while I initially felt some of the guilt and worry over not loving being at home, I'd found things that made it work for me. Reading this book at this point honestly just felt redundant and anxious, especially since one of the first chapters is having more than one kid. I'm getting used to my first, I'm not ready to think about juggling various school schedules with infant naps and extracurricular activities. It was keeping me awake. Perhaps this is a good book for some, but I just didn't see the point in continuing for me.
May 3, 2020
This book would have been much more relevant in 2008 when it was initially published, I think. I hope that for many of us, the discussions she hopes to bring front and center have already sunk in... That said, some things bumped this from 2 stars to 3, I kept thinking my review of this book was going to be, “if you enjoy tips like ‘sweep all your kids toys into piles at the sides of the rooms instead of picking them up to keep your floors clear,’ this might be the book for you” 😂
October 17, 2012
This is, by far, one of the better books about motherhood that I've read. I won't call it a parenting book, because it doesn't provide a lot of specific strategies for how to handle your kids. Rather, this book focuses on what you have to do as a mother to keep yourself sane and your family happy. This book was written specifically for women who gave up careers to become stay-at-home mothers, and it was just pitch-perfect. Not only does the author give intelligent and relevant commentary on the different mothering choices, "traditional" roles, and the "mommy wars," she recognizes that just because women make the choice to stay home does not mean they enjoy it every day.
The book also covers a lot of questions that I didn't even know I had, like how exactly does Social Security work and will I still earn benefits if I take a leave from the workforce? How to keep saving for retirement? How can I communicate with my husband to make sure the workload still seems "fair"? She offers a lot of tips on how to stay engaged socially and with your community, ways to keep your job skills current, and ways to incorporate small and large breaks into your life. Motherhood is, after all, a job without scheduled breaks.
Most helpful were the comments by the author and the women she interviewed for the book that really made it feel like a support group. It was so reassuring to hear that other women feel crazed by their children some days, have regrets about leaving the workforce, and want to scratch their husbands faces off for "not getting it." The author points out that the job of a stay-at-home mom is one where you are surrounded by people every moment of every day, and still somehow feel lonely. Just hearing what other women were feeling was a huge relief and gave me the energy to start engaging with others in different ways.
It's possible that I loved this book so much because I just happened to pick it up at the right time in my life, but I would highly recommend to other moms who have left their jobs to take care of their children (one of the most important jobs there is).
The book also covers a lot of questions that I didn't even know I had, like how exactly does Social Security work and will I still earn benefits if I take a leave from the workforce? How to keep saving for retirement? How can I communicate with my husband to make sure the workload still seems "fair"? She offers a lot of tips on how to stay engaged socially and with your community, ways to keep your job skills current, and ways to incorporate small and large breaks into your life. Motherhood is, after all, a job without scheduled breaks.
Most helpful were the comments by the author and the women she interviewed for the book that really made it feel like a support group. It was so reassuring to hear that other women feel crazed by their children some days, have regrets about leaving the workforce, and want to scratch their husbands faces off for "not getting it." The author points out that the job of a stay-at-home mom is one where you are surrounded by people every moment of every day, and still somehow feel lonely. Just hearing what other women were feeling was a huge relief and gave me the energy to start engaging with others in different ways.
It's possible that I loved this book so much because I just happened to pick it up at the right time in my life, but I would highly recommend to other moms who have left their jobs to take care of their children (one of the most important jobs there is).
June 16, 2012
This guide goes beyond "make time for yourselves" or "go out with your friends once a month" advise. Although I found Stanton a bit preoccupied with women's rights, unemployed mothers' dependency on fathers and the resulting vulnerability of that dependency, she also brought up some bits of advise that I hadn't considered before.
The first being the need to think about how not bringing home a pay-check (or a greatly reduced one) will effect my Social Security benefits -- assuming that it is still around when I are ready to retire. I wasn't aware of how Social Security works; taking myself out of the paid workforce for even a few years greatly impacts the amount SS will provide for me when I'm ready to retire. Who knew?
Also, make a plan for how to survive with Dad out of the picture. What if the only bread-winner in our family dies or is otherwise unable to provide for our family? Keeping my professional skills current is nor only good for me intellectually and emotionally, it may become necessary financially at some point. Being nieve now won't pay the bills later. Life insurance plans for both my husband as well as myself are good safeguards against financial ruin in the midst of emotional catastrophe. And like it or not, divorce does happen to good people, so being prepared to provide for myself and my kids is behaving responsibly.
The other tidbit that I take away from this survival guide is something I learned after my second child was born: this will not last forever. The five to seven years that many women choose to devote to being home with their pre-school aged children is really just a drop in the bucket. It feels like forever, sitting here as the mother of a 5 and 3 year old, but pretty soon both boys will spend a majority of their time at school. And when that happens, what will I choose to do with my time? The time to think about that question is now so that I can start working toward my goal.
The first being the need to think about how not bringing home a pay-check (or a greatly reduced one) will effect my Social Security benefits -- assuming that it is still around when I are ready to retire. I wasn't aware of how Social Security works; taking myself out of the paid workforce for even a few years greatly impacts the amount SS will provide for me when I'm ready to retire. Who knew?
Also, make a plan for how to survive with Dad out of the picture. What if the only bread-winner in our family dies or is otherwise unable to provide for our family? Keeping my professional skills current is nor only good for me intellectually and emotionally, it may become necessary financially at some point. Being nieve now won't pay the bills later. Life insurance plans for both my husband as well as myself are good safeguards against financial ruin in the midst of emotional catastrophe. And like it or not, divorce does happen to good people, so being prepared to provide for myself and my kids is behaving responsibly.
The other tidbit that I take away from this survival guide is something I learned after my second child was born: this will not last forever. The five to seven years that many women choose to devote to being home with their pre-school aged children is really just a drop in the bucket. It feels like forever, sitting here as the mother of a 5 and 3 year old, but pretty soon both boys will spend a majority of their time at school. And when that happens, what will I choose to do with my time? The time to think about that question is now so that I can start working toward my goal.
April 12, 2011
There were some new ideas from this book which I hadn't given much thought to when I decided to exit the workforce.
1) "The Opt-Out Myth" is a myth itself and it is misleading because it is actually 'redistributing household labor to adequately take care of one's family." Raising kids is not a "fallback" option because caring for them is a necessary job and kids can't raise themselves. It is also just as necessary to earn money to be able to care for them, oneself and one's home. There are a lot of "shoulds" in suggesting what women do to raise kids and have a job, but there is little support for the women to do both.
2) It's critical to "do the math" regarding social security because the "cost" of a stay-at-home career varies for each woman. www.ssa.gov/planners/ is useful for calculating out what impact it has the longer a woman is at home rather than in the workforce. Women get ZERO recognition in terms of social security benefits for being a 24/7 SAHM.
3) "The most important reason for women to support each other's choices-t work, to have children, to not have children, to stay at home with her children, to be employed mothers-is so that women can continue to have choices."
4)"When you let go of what you have but don't need, God can come in and bless you. But when you hold on to everything, there's no room for new blessings." This theory applies not only to cluttter, but also friends. Some will leave your life, but in doing so, they'll provide you with room for new friends, new blessings."
1) "The Opt-Out Myth" is a myth itself and it is misleading because it is actually 'redistributing household labor to adequately take care of one's family." Raising kids is not a "fallback" option because caring for them is a necessary job and kids can't raise themselves. It is also just as necessary to earn money to be able to care for them, oneself and one's home. There are a lot of "shoulds" in suggesting what women do to raise kids and have a job, but there is little support for the women to do both.
2) It's critical to "do the math" regarding social security because the "cost" of a stay-at-home career varies for each woman. www.ssa.gov/planners/ is useful for calculating out what impact it has the longer a woman is at home rather than in the workforce. Women get ZERO recognition in terms of social security benefits for being a 24/7 SAHM.
3) "The most important reason for women to support each other's choices-t work, to have children, to not have children, to stay at home with her children, to be employed mothers-is so that women can continue to have choices."
4)"When you let go of what you have but don't need, God can come in and bless you. But when you hold on to everything, there's no room for new blessings." This theory applies not only to cluttter, but also friends. Some will leave your life, but in doing so, they'll provide you with room for new friends, new blessings."
September 20, 2008
Finally, someone validating what I've been feeling the past three years. That it's okay not to LOVE being at home every day with your kids. It doesn't make you a bad parent, just a normal one.
While the book is written more for women who left lucrative careers, I found plenty that applied to me. As is customary in my neck of the woods, generally, there isn't time to get a career before children come along and then it's almost too late by the time number 5 or 6 go to school full time and you're finally free to invest time in a career. Though that's not how I intend for my life to turn out, but who knows?
In any case, there wasn't anything in here that was earth-shattering new to ease my ocassional boredom. I was relieved to see that I was doing everything possible to ward off depression and anxiety associated with staying at home by having friends and passions outside of stay-at-homedom. However, it was nice to not feel guilty for the occassional need to scream into a pillow because I'm bored out of my mind with the monotanity of staying at home entertaining a three year old and keeping a house clean.
This is a definite must-read for anyone thinking of becoming a stay-at-home mom or is currently staying at home and feeling guilty because everyone else in the neighborhood looks like they enjoy doing this day after day.
While the book is written more for women who left lucrative careers, I found plenty that applied to me. As is customary in my neck of the woods, generally, there isn't time to get a career before children come along and then it's almost too late by the time number 5 or 6 go to school full time and you're finally free to invest time in a career. Though that's not how I intend for my life to turn out, but who knows?
In any case, there wasn't anything in here that was earth-shattering new to ease my ocassional boredom. I was relieved to see that I was doing everything possible to ward off depression and anxiety associated with staying at home by having friends and passions outside of stay-at-homedom. However, it was nice to not feel guilty for the occassional need to scream into a pillow because I'm bored out of my mind with the monotanity of staying at home entertaining a three year old and keeping a house clean.
This is a definite must-read for anyone thinking of becoming a stay-at-home mom or is currently staying at home and feeling guilty because everyone else in the neighborhood looks like they enjoy doing this day after day.
March 24, 2010
I was impressed with the research in this book. Since I contributed to it, I had assumed the author (a friend and former co-worker of mine) would rely mostly on the anecdotal stuff she solicited in her survey. Much of that does appear, and it's usually good advice. But she also did a lot of her own research, and it showed. Kudos, Melissa! I KNOW how busy she is and how hard it must have been to write this, and I think the result is helpful to at-home moms, especially on tough days. Granted, it likely would have been more helpful to me at an earlier stage in my stay-at-home-motherhood. Now, much of it is old news to me. But the financial sense, the Jackie-of-All-Trades chapter, and the outline of the stages of SAH motherhood stuck with me. I could have done without some of the info in the chapter about maintaining intimacy with your spouse; it went too far for me, so I stopped reading that part. But overall, I'd recommend this to new moms everywhere.
January 31, 2013
I took this book out from my local library as I'm now a SAHM, it was okay read. I was really hoping for more practical advice on day to day type stuff. While the book helped in assuring me that I am not alone in many of the challenges faced by a new SAHM (especially one with professional jobs in the past), a lot of the advice seemed to fall flat. Much of the advice boiled down to take time away from the kids - not something I'm really looking to do and something I think alot of SAHM would have a hard time managing. She lists the moms surveyed/interviewed while writing the book and the sample does seem skewed towards somewhat older moms that left a high-level career upon having children and she more of the book than I had expected describes her own experience. However, moms are a varied bunch so it would be near impossible to write a book that gave a description that would apply to everyone so I am glad I read the book as he provides insight into another viewpoint/situation.
November 25, 2012
This book was simply wonderful! I was in the kid section at the library, and being a stay-at-home mom, the title caught my eye. I read the back of the book, and saw that the author was a mother of multiples (she has twin girls). I am also a mother of twins, and am always interested in what other mother's in the same situation have to say.
This book is great on the pro's an con's of being a stay-at-home mom. She doesn't sugar coat anything, and I actually feel better about both my positive and negative feelings about being at home after reading this book.
I would also recommend this book to any father who has a stay-at-home spouse. There are many great tips for dad's, as well as a little bit of perspective about why your wife may often feel overwhelmed, grumpy, and not in the mood for sex.
Melissa Stanton does a great job at covering all of the bases. I really enjoyed this book.
This book is great on the pro's an con's of being a stay-at-home mom. She doesn't sugar coat anything, and I actually feel better about both my positive and negative feelings about being at home after reading this book.
I would also recommend this book to any father who has a stay-at-home spouse. There are many great tips for dad's, as well as a little bit of perspective about why your wife may often feel overwhelmed, grumpy, and not in the mood for sex.
Melissa Stanton does a great job at covering all of the bases. I really enjoyed this book.
July 31, 2009
Having been a SAHM for 7 years now, there wasn't much in here that surprised me, but I did spend a lot of time nodding along in agreement. It was nice to read a book by someone who doesn't think that being a stay-at-home mom automatically makes me some sort of anti-feminist dimbulb. She also mostly succeeds in being pro-SAHM without attacking moms who work outside the home by choice or by necessity. I would consider giving this book to a friend who was thinking about being a SAHM, or who had started doing it but was having a hard time with it.
I did find it irritating that she constantly refers to her readers as "gals" -- the cutesyness was very offputting.
I did find it irritating that she constantly refers to her readers as "gals" -- the cutesyness was very offputting.
March 30, 2010
Great information and well-written but I'm now left feeling paranoid that the majority of people I interact with are patronizing about my choice to be a stay-at-home mom and are treating me like a second-class citizen. These concerns had never seriously crossed my mind before reading Stanton's book as I feel very privileged to be able to stay home with my daughter and, from my years in education, feel that she'll be reaping the benefits as well. Hopefully in a few weeks, the effects of this book will slough off.
A great read for the mom who is experiencing a lot of stay-at-home frustrations.
A great read for the mom who is experiencing a lot of stay-at-home frustrations.
February 14, 2009
Even though I have been a stay at home mom for almost 6 years, I found this book to really hit on some of the issues we stay at home parents face on a daily basis. one of those books I wish I read pre-babies just to be more prepared for what lied ahead. I wouldn't change anything in my path as a mom....but this book is very realistic in the feelings of isolation, frustration, etc we face. I think some of the spouses should also read it! Nice to know that you are not crazy, and what you feel sometimes is quite normal!
January 30, 2013
This book is so awful that I can only read about half of it. And, I only got that far because I kept thinking it will get better -- it didn't. I feel like the vast majority of the very wordy book is quoting women's rights and trying to justify her decision to stay at home after being a very successful editor. Some of the ideas she shares are crazy - like how to fashion your own diaper out of a pad when you run out. Maybe it's just me, but I'll run to the store really quick, or try to anticipate that I'm running low and get to the store before I run out. Blech!
August 23, 2009
Meh... Worth a skim if you're a stay-at-home parent (though it's targeted toward moms). If I had a dollar for every time the author wrote, "When I was an editor at People Magazine..." I'd be rich! Though Stanton is happy [seemingly:] to be at home with her three children, she doesn't miss an opportunity to tell you about her previous career. I would've appreciated more generalized advice, though to her credit, Stanton does include perspectives of other SAHMs.
August 2, 2010
I expected this to be fluffier - along the lines of the Girlfriend Guides but it was somewhere in between those books and Leslie Bennetts' _The Feminine Mistake_. A (much) kinder, gentler - and not inflammatory - version. Didn't tell me anything i didn't already know but there was some validation in there and it was really nice to see that Stanton, unlike Bennetts, seems to understand that the plural of "anecdote" isn't "data".
May 25, 2012
The only reason I'm giving this three stars and not two is because I didn't finish it, and I felt it would be unfair to rate any lower without reading the rest.
That being said, I could not make myself finish this book, which is very unusual. I suffered through 100 pages and felt that was enough time wasted.
The author is pandering and flattering her way through this book and I read nothing worthwhile or helpful in 100 pages.
That being said, I could not make myself finish this book, which is very unusual. I suffered through 100 pages and felt that was enough time wasted.
The author is pandering and flattering her way through this book and I read nothing worthwhile or helpful in 100 pages.
November 21, 2015
A candid and down to earth take on adjusting to being a SAHM. I particularly enjoyed her ideas on intimacy with hubby when you really do not want to be touched by the end of the day. Her insights on the difficulties of returning to work are right on and helped me not to feel like it was just me! Time for business to catch on to the idea that SAHM have a LOT to offer if businesses were more flexible.
May 14, 2009
The best SAHM book I've found. I bordered on being almost offended at times, until I realized the author was pretty much spelling out in grim detail a lot of the things I have been too wimpy to admit to myself. (Pretty much that this is the hardest, most challenging job EVER!) and that it's ok. This book was a good one for me.
June 25, 2009
I thought this was actually helpful for a couple of reasons. 1) I read it during a time of wondering why this stay-at-home thing is getting to be so HARD so I felt some camaraderie with these other parents and 2)it had a few good tips that I hadn't thought of (like if you are the proud owner of a mini-van and your kids fall asleep, why don't you crawl in the back and sleep too?)
February 22, 2012
This book did not provide any ground breaking advice. What it did provide was moral support while I went through phases of self doubt just before and just after quitting my job. Now that I'm feeling much more settled and happier in my new role, I'm not sure I would have picked up this book, but it was a nice cheerleader that helped me get to this point.
November 22, 2014
It took me awhile to get into this book. But once I did, I did a lot of nodding, smiling, and thinking, "Thank goodness, I'm not alone." There are cold hard facts about the reality of leaving your job to raise children as well as some enviable anecdotes of husbands who understand and even cook dinner.
February 15, 2016
This was good. It wasn't the greatest thing I've ever read but it validated a lot of things I had been thinking and I felt myself saying, "Amen Sista!" several times. At the very least it made me realize that I'm not alone and there are tons and tons of mothers out there struggling with the same issues. My husband bought it for me for Christmas.... so maybe he was trying to tell me something???
January 25, 2010
I loved this book. I feel like I read it at the perfect time--two young kids. I could relate to everything the author said. If you read it, note that the survey respondent named Megan is my sister.
December 3, 2008
I'm not a stay-at-home mom at the moment but this book still had some useful strategies for my situation. And I'll keep it in mind for when I actually stay at home. A pretty easy read but I would be prepared to take things with a grain of salt. Take what you want and then leave the rest.
December 28, 2008
Eh. I bought this in hope of some words of wisdom to help me "stay smart, sane, and connected" as a stay-at-home mom. All I really felt during and after reading this book was a little bit depressed. Bleh.
August 8, 2011
I really loved this book, it was very informative, and the author touched on many things that an 'older' first time mom staying at home (such as myself) could really relate to. I would strongly recommend this book!
March 4, 2016
This book covers several aspects of transitioning to stay-at-home motherhood and gives the reader a lot to think about. She discusses the emotional, financial, and intellectual changes that can occur, along with giving actual tips on how to stay happy and sane. I enjoyed it.
May 27, 2009
Read May 2009
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews