First published 2009
Ayelet Waldman confronts the crushing expectations that define contemporary parenting. She examines how mothers today face constant judgment whether they work outside the home or stay with their children, whether they hover protectively or allow independence. Waldman dissects the competitive parenting culture where toddlers must recite planetary orders and organic food choices determine college futures. She explores the relentless criticism mothers encounter from the self-appointed parenting police who scrutinize every decision. The author addresses the challenge of balancing career demands with family responsibilities and the universal parental nightmare of homework supervision. Waldman builds on her controversial Modern Love essay where she admitted loving her husband more than her children. She argues that women should abandon the pursuit of perfect motherhood and embrace their imperfections. The book offers practical encouragement for mothers drowning in anxiety about their parenting choices and provides permission to stop measuring themselves against impossible standards.
Genres: family, feminism, non-fiction, 21st-century, parenting
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-journey, social-commentary
Period: 21st-Century
224 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday