A little bit of honesty here:
I make a pretty good Snape (minus the magic and affinity for potions). A few years back my husband and kids talked me into dressing up as the semi-evil wizard/professor for Halloween. (At least keeping those old graduation robes around was good for something, right?) I know what you are thinking, that I really do make a pretty good Snape. Even I have to admit that I really looked the part. And, the sad thing is that on some days I think I act like Snape. You know, “do it my way or the highway everybody!” And that usually doesn’t go over very well.
But, there are some shining moments when I could of sworn I was Elastigirl. No really, you know, those days when you showed some serious superhuman mommy strength and flexibility? But most days, I’m neither. But what I really hope to be is a deliberate mother.
deliberate – (adj.) purposeful; willful. Deliberate, intentional, premeditated, voluntary refer to something not happening by chance.
Deliberate is applied to what is done not hastily but with full realization of what one is doing.
What is deliberate motherhood? According to the co-directors of Power of Moms, “it means that you really think about what you do as a mom. You really care about your family and want the best for them. Plus you want to learn and grow and develop yourself as a person through the experience of motherhood. You live life purposefully. You embrace what you uniquely bring to your family.” I immediately thought of Julie B. Beck saying, “More than at any time in the history of the world, we need mothers who know.” (Ensign, November 2007, “Mother’s Who Know”) Being a deliberate mother is being a mother who knows. To be a deliberate mother means to have a vision and carry it out in your daily choices.
This book couldn’t have come at a better time. I had been feeling the need to reassess where we are going as a family. With school starting again and all of its “busy”ness I have often felt overwhelmed. We are in the midst of processing our garden produce, starting joyschool, dance, gymnastics, soccer, piano, volunteering at the school, volunteering at church, carpooling, homework, caring for a new baby who doesn’t nap very well and the list goes on and on.
For me this book gives moms the tools to take a hard look at their mothering. I really needed the first chapter. I call it the non-guilt chapter. At the same time I really needed the other ones too because they made me ask myself the hard questions about what my family’s vision is and if our daily choices are leading us there. I set out reading with a highlighter and, well, most of the book is highlighted and I think my little highlighter is about to go dry. This is a book I will be going back to over and over to re-read the little gems I found. and reviewing with my husband as we seek to find some balance.
I can’t recommend this book enough. I feel like it is a lovely companion to The Gift of Giving Life. My only complaint was that I really did want to go through the chapters more slowly so I could stop and work on one power at a time. The authors actually recommend this so I will be going back to review it with my husband so that we can set some goals and re-evaluate our priorities. I hope you will accept the challenge to becoming a deliberate mother. And the first step is to pick up this book and read it.
Special giveaway:
For anyone who purchases the book in September and sends their receipt (or an email acknowledging purchase) to [email protected], they’ll receive complimentary access to the Deliberate Mothering Podcast series (valued at $20). Also, on October 4th, 10 Grand Prize Winners will be selected to receive the Power of Moms Premium Package (valued at $224)! See the POM Store for all the fabulous programs in the Premium Package: http://powerofmoms.
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You are mostly Elastigirl! But there is nothing wrong with fine tuning your skills and “moving with purpose”. I will have to check that book out!