An honest look at how children can drive the most loving parent to periodic madness, along with practical suggestions for how to cope.--Adele Faber.

    I struggled to get the kids off to school. I talked myself into getting ready for work. I packed lunches, checked backpacks, planned crock pot meals, and wished I was somewhere else. Yes, that's right. I wished I was somewhere other than my kitchen listening to my children fight over the last pack of fruit snacks. I dreamt about a life that was less stressful and more enjoyable. These thoughts made me cry on the way to drop off my kids at school. These thoughts made me feel like a terrible person.These thoughts made me feel like I was the worst Mother on the planet. I was ashamed to have these thoughts. I felt like I was failing at life. I was overworked, under appreciated, and dreaming of wanting more. Why wasn't I happy? Life seemed to be a chronic shit storm and I was the imbecilic meteorologist who forgot her umbrella. I decided that I needed to chase my dreams. I decided I had to find a way to scoop the poop and find my passion.

    . . ."   With the candor and often hilarious outlook that have made her a beloved commentator on NPR, Marion Winik takes the reader on an unforgettable journey through modern parenthood, with all of its attendant anxieties and joys.        A single mother with two small boys, Winik knows exactly what she's talking about, from battles over breakfast and bedtime to the virtues of pre-packaged food and weightier issues like sex education and sibling rivalry. Part memoir and part survival guide, The Lunch-Box Chronicles is an engaging philosophy of parenting from a staunch realist, who knows that kids and their parents both will inevitably fall far short of perfection, and that a "good enough mom" really is, in fact, good enough.

    This unique collection of original essays features contributions by Mona Simpson, Meg Wolitzer, Susan Cheever, Sara Bird, Naomi Wolf, and other contemporary female writers on the joys and frustrations of the first year of motherhood.

    With input from veteran flyers and flight attendants, you’ll learn exactly how to get from A to B as easily as possible. Topics include: - Buying tickets - Where to sit - How to score a free seat - Dealing with you car seat & stroller - Getting through security - Breastfeeding & pumping - Keeping your baby happy - Feeding & more “I was so nervous about our first flight with baby Darren, but your book put me at ease and prepared me for everything I needed to know. Thanks!!” — Janice McCullough “This book is funny and informative, in classic Lucie’s List style. We had NO problems on our first flight. Thank you!!” — Kara Quinn

    From carrying a baby, delivering it, feeding it and raising it, Bec has experienced almost everything motherhood can throw at you and she wants to share the secrets and stories that she has learned along the way. Not to mention all those things about pregnancy, birth and motherhood that often come as a complete surprise. Join Bec and her dream team of experts (an obstetrician, a midwife, an ultrasound specialist, a women's health physio and a paediatric sleep specialist) as they take you month by month through your pregnancy. They will share their insider advice on the best ways to eat for two (or three!), stay in shape and get you and your baby sleeping well. This gorgeous, comprehensive handbook contains a wealth of honest, practical and sometimes hilarious advice to prepare you and your baby for life after birth.

    He explains how to cope with this often disruptive period in a family's life and how to continue feeling close to your teenagers as they grow up and become increasingly independent.

    Learn to hear God speaking above all the noise in these daily devotions that can be completed in five minutes or less.As moms know, even when there isn't noise around us, there is usually noise within us. The constant to-do lists that spin in our minds, the worry and wonder if we are doing a good job, and the need to stay two steps ahead of our families when we feel two steps behind keeps our minds routinely restless. So when quiet time with God isn't so quiet, and alone time is nearly nonexistent, how does a modern-day momma tune in the voice of the Lord?With Truth Unchanging, you don't have to wait until you're alone to talk with Jesus. Designed to be read in five minutes or less, each powerful, hope-filled devotion will:* refocus your heart on the Word of God * refresh your mind with God's Truth for your life * revive your spirit as you realize God is speaking to you personallyTruth Unchanging is not just a devotional. It's an opportunity to begin daily conversations with Jesus, the One who has everything we need to take on the days ahead, the One who wants to speak to you right now. Tune in to His voice today.

    What do my children really need? Why are they doing that? Is this normal? What can I do to help them? How can I know for certain that I am doing this right?The logistics are easy. Anybody can do laundry and carpool. But what makes a mother the best mom she can be? It's not better scheduling. Or more activities. Or less. It is passion--the passion to teach, protect, study, and prepare her children for the future.Great, but how?Susan Merrill, the mother of five incredibly different children, has asked that question countless times. And she has read countless answers specific to a certain child's temperament, age, or situation. But nothing she read offered an overall approach to parenting that would enable her to say with confidence, "I am doing this right." She never guessed she would find a foundational plan--a reliable, universal parenting approach in the Old Testament book of Nehemiah.In The Passionate Mom, Susan takes you on a journey through Nehemiah and into the heart of parenting. Her stories and confessions in every chapter reveal what she has learned: no mom can control her child's future, but every mom can parent well. There is a plan--a roadmap for how a passionate mom can parent almost any child, confidently. ...This book reaches mothers like me at both the heart level and the head level, showing us how to guide our children passionately and practically...--Shaunti Feldhahn, social researcher, national speaker and best-selling author of For Women Only "Being a mother is the greatest joy of my life. My friend Susan Merrill regularly inspires me in my role as a Mother. In her book, she will inspire you!--Denise Jonas, Mother of Kevin, Joe, Nick and Frankie Jonas Every mother's goal is to see her children fully blossom. In 'The Passionate Mom' Susan Merrill not only outlines the qualities women need to be successful moms, but also lays out a practical, biblical plan to help develop those qualities. She provides sound advice to help in the difficult task of raising children. --Lauren and Tony Dungy

    Now authors Karen Pryor and her daughter Gale Pryor have revised and updated their classic guide for today's generation of women. New information includes: Up-to-date studies on health benefits for breastfed infants and breastfeeding mothers Tips for getting the best start on breastfeeding during the first hours, weeks, and months after birth Breastfeeding advice for working mothers Legal rights as a nursing mother Choosing and using a breast pump How fathers and families can support new nursing mothers With its unique blend of support, science, and research, this classic guide will continue to encourage mothers to nurse their babies as long as they both desire.

    'Who will help me potty train my child?' asks the mother, 'Not I,' says the village. 'Who will help me clean up this third glass of spilt milk?' asks the mother. 'Not I,' says the village. 'Who will help put braces on my child's teeth?' asks the mother. 'Not I,' says the village. 'Who wants to use my child to further their own political agendas?' asks the mother. 'WE DO,' says the village. The irony of motherhood is that there has not been a spokesperson for mothers because those who feel most passionately are simply too busy. They're too busy running the car pools, doing the laundry, shopping for the groceries and the 1,001 other things, which are required to sustain life. Some have tried, but really, when was the last time Oprah plopped down her last ten dollar bill for a bag of Huggies and a gallon of milk? Full time Mom, Colleen Down, has decided to ignore her buzzing dryer and ringing phone long enough to stand up and defend those whose profession it is to rock the cradle, and to remind them once again that they truly do have the power to change the world. It Takes a Mother to Raise a Village is a humorous look at the joys and frustrations of being a mother of seven, ranging from preschool to college. It Takes a Mother to Raise a Village also takes a serious look at how important the role of a mother is in dealing with the problems that face us in the new millennium. If it takes a mother to raise the village it is also going to take all of the mothers to save the village.

    But what now?! If you’re like most moms, you’re caught between grief and delight, and full of questions, loose ends, hopes, and regrets. Empty nesting can be a disorienting time, but it can also be the best time of your life.Jill Savage, an empty-nest veteran, offers youWISDOM for the murky waters ahead. Teaching you what you need to let go of and hold on toENCOURAGEMENT for when you’re feeling confused and discouraged. Full of stories and new insights, you’ll find your spirits lifted and hope renewed.IDEAS for when you don’t know "What’s next?" Jill offers loads of practical ideas for coping and thriving in this encore season.

    Staff nursing in a ward where she's challenged by an inventory driven ward sister, she reckons it's time to swap such trivialities for life as a district nurse.Independent thinking is one thing, but Jane's about to find that the drama on district can demand instant reaction; and without hospital back up, she's usually the one having to provide it. She meets a rich cast of patients all determined to follow their own individual star, and goes to Edinburgh where Queen Victoria's Jubilee Institute's nurse training is considered the cr me de la cr me of the district nursing world.Call Me Sister recalls Jane's challenging and often hilarious route to realizing her own particular dream.

    This is the perfect companion for parents-to-be and all professionals who are engaged in and witness to the miracle of birth. "One of the most important books on childbirth...A colorful, anecdotal, and research-supported journey from both the mothers' and midwives' perspectives...A classic." (Pam England, nurse-midwife and author of Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation)