The Mom I Want to Be

Suzie Eller very kindly sent me a copy of The Mom I Want to Be. I won it in one of her giveaways and she generously posted it all the way to Guernsey!  I wanted it to share with a friend who finds parenting her  children quite overwhelming at times. And another. And another. Don't we all feel like that at one time or another? So I read it before giving it to her, just to make sure it wouldn't overwhelm my friends with even more inadequacy! Do you know what I mean? Some books just send you on a guilt trip!

Anyway, Suzie's book is anything but that - it is hugely encouraging. My children have graduated - they are awesome, dedicated Christians, both volunteering in full-time Christian ministry, barely making it financially but earnestly pursuing God. I am immensely proud of them and thankful to God - I KNOW they haven't turned out so good because of my parenting skills.  I think I should say they've turned out the way they have IN SPITE OF my parenting - God is awesome indeed!  So reading this book did bring some regret - there is no such thing as perfect parenting and there are many things I would have done differently. However, Suzie's honesty encouraged me at the same time.

I'm still struggling to be 'The Mom I Want to Be' - being a 'mom' to adults - and can't wait to get the book back from my friend once she has read it as I have found the questions and suggestions for personal growth at the end of each chapter really useful. Thank you, Suzie!