Jill Smokler, otherwise known as Scary Mommy in Internet land, has written a hilarious book entitled Confessions of a Scary Mommy.
I wrote to Jill and asked if I could review her book. She wrote back immediately and replied “Where can I send the book?” I love her.
Confessions of a Scary Mommy, which Jill describes as the “anti-parenting book,” makes you feel good about yourself as a parent.
Chapter 20, which is entitled “The Xanax Approach to Parenting,” seems to be the overall theme of the book. Essentially what this approach boils down to is, chill the fuck out. Don’t take yourself too seriously, do the best you can do as a parent, and call it a day. There’s no need to obsess over being the “perfect mother,” because there is no such thing. This “perfect mother” (that many of us aspire to be) lives somewhere with the tooth fairy and the easter bunny.
In Confessions of a Scary Mommy, Smokler reveals what it was really like to be pregnant:
“I wish the government could bottle the discomfort that accompanies this point in pregnancy–the bloating and the aches and pains and the baby’s kicks. I think if they were able to inflict all of this on even the strongest of men, those men would cave under pressure. It would be the best torture method ever.”
(Smokler, P. 18)
Damn straight it would! Men could not remotely handle the demanding physical state otherwise known as pregnancy. They would undoubtedly crack under the pressure.
Smokler begins the book with the “not so glamorous” time of pregnancy and quickly moves into the even less fancy part of her journey more commonly referred to as “motherhood.”
“No matter how well groomed and well coiffed a woman might be before she has children, she transforms into something entirely different as soon as she becomes a mother. Something resourceful. Something impressive. Something…disgusting. Motherhood just has a way of stripping away all the girly glamour we try so hard to exude and reverts us back to how I imagine our cavewoman ancestors lived–mud on the face, raccoons for lunch, urine for hydration.”
(Smokler, P.53)
I can remember the first time I licked my finger and stuck my saliva onto Ari’s face to wipe away the schmutz that was convening there. Motherhood is truly the antithesis of glamour.
Confessions of a Scary Mommy tackles difficult issues like why mothers find the need to compete with one another, disliking other people’s children, how lazy husbands can be, and much much more.
Beginning each chapter are some excerpts from The Scary Mommy Confessional where real people have shared their deep dark secrets anonymously. Here’s one of my favorites:
“No matter how old you are, no matter how badass you think you are, if a toddler hands you his ringing toy phone, you fucking answer it.”
(Smokler P. 119)
Ultimately, Confessions of a Scary Mommy is a manifesto declaring that whatever kind of parent you are, it’s okay. If you’re happy, and you’re kids are happy, that’s all that matters. With every page, I found myself nodding and laughing aloud in agreement. This book is a must-read for parents with children of any age.
I just finished my copy, and guess what? I’m giving it away! I want everybody to read this book.
Now it’s your chance to win Confessions of a Scary Mommy!
Each counts as an entry:
1. Follow Scary Mommy on Facebook
2. Follow Scary Mommy on Twitter
3. Post a link to the giveaway on Facebook.
4. Tweet about the giveaway.
5. Follow Old School/ New School Mom on GFC
6. Follow Old/School New School Mom on Facebook.
7. Follow Old School/ New School Mom on Twitter
8. Post a comment about why you would like to read this book.
Winner will be selected randomly, and announced here on OS/NS Mom on May 16th 2012.