Full of honesty, humor, and practical insight, this is the essential guide for mothers who want to make parenting more joyful: “Every mom needs this book” (Jenna McCarthy, author of The Parent Trap). From the experts at Parenting magazine and popular mommy blogger Meagan Francis, The Happiest Mom combines the latest happiness research with the insight and experience of a mother of five. Francis demonstrates that motherhood doesn’t have to be an obstacle to joy. Drawing on recent happiness research, conversations with hundreds of other moms, and her own experience as a mother, Francis shares her ten secrets to happy motherhood in this down-to-earth, funny, and accessible book. “I found myself underlining passages and laughing out loud in recognition. This thoughtful, hilarious look at motherhood is a terrific resource for anyone who wants to be the happiest mother she can be.” —Gretchen Rubin, author of The New York Times bestseller The Happiness Project “Reading this book is like chatting with your girlfriend and getting all the support, advice, and laughs you need.” —Brett Paesal, author of Mommies Who Drink

In this “guilt-free ticket to refocusing your priorities” (Parents Magazine), ABC News reporter (and mom to three) Genevieve Shaw Brown reveals the deceptively simple golden rule for maternal happiness and how today’s busy moms can live better, healthier lives. Award-winning reporter Genevieve Shaw Brown was hell-bent on raising her kids to like vegetables and eat more than chicken nuggets for dinner. She woke up at five a.m. every morning to prepare perfectly portioned meals of turkey meatballs along with veggies, couscous, mashed cauliflower, and sliced fruit for her small children. While eating lukewarm mac-n-cheese out of a brown paper box and feeling sluggish and tired most of the time, she realized that she had never considered eating what she made for her kids. After that, Brown put herself on the “Baby Diet”: she ate the healthy food her kids ate, minimized snacking, and created a more regimented meal plan. She felt better, lost those stubborn pounds, and prepared a short segment on her new diet for Good Morning America that went viral. After that, she began thinking further: what happens when you treat yourself the way you instinctively treat your children? From sleep training to exercising to making time for friends, Brown shares her own stories, expert advice, and innovative hacks to address the common issues mothers face while teaching women how to care for themselves with the same love and attention they give their children and families every day. The Happiest Mommy You Know is the life-changing and incredibly positive approach to the challenges of modern parenting—and gives parents permission to finally treat themselves better.

A mommy manifesto for the mom who proudly strives to be less-than-perfect Michelle Lamar is a wry observer of the politics of elementary schools, the perfect moms who run them, and the kids who are trying to grow up without being embarrassed to death by their parents. This book imparts invaluable advice on how to survive the brutal world of parenting, bake sales, and the PTA. The White Trash Mom Handbook is a welcome and humorous approach to handling the pressures of modern-day motherhood. Readers can get a good laugh while learning the knowledge and skills needed to become a White Trash Mom: Fake Bakin' - transform store-bought treats into bake sale bestsellers! Making Friends - how to spot a fellow White Trash Mom from 50 paces Helping Out - give back to the school without sacrificing your time or sanity. The White Trash Mom Handbook will teach moms to let go of being the best and embrace their inner rebel so they can enjoy their kids more, avoid PTA purgatory, and get a real life.

A mother of ten offers supportive, practical advice for managing a full house. Written from the experienced perspective of a mother of ten kids, both biological and adopted, this smart, encouraging guide to the large-family lifestyle answers such important questions as: Can a mother effectively parent multiple children without drowning in sheer neediness? How can a moderate income stretch to include more children? How can you make the most of the limited space in your home? What are some ideas for handling mountains of laundry? How can you preserve time for yourself and your marriage? How can you juggle activities and prioritize purchases? How do you encourage good relationships between siblings? Whether your idea of big is three kids or ten, you’ll find plenty of tips to manage the day-to-day distractions—and enjoy the blessing of a large, loving family.

"This book isn't about raising kids. It's about raising Moms. . ." says author, speaker, blogger, lunch packer, and sidewalk chalk artist Becky Kopitzke. In a Pinterest-perfect culture, you've likely sensed an accelerated pressure to measure up. Then you either weigh yourself down with guilt or become resigned--desensitized, even--to this so-called failure. The Supermom Myth--with humor and grace, yet all the while maintaining a firm grasp on reality--aims to empower you to become the mom God created you to be. With 8 chapters, each personifying a "dirty villain" of motherhood, including The Grouch on the Couch (Anger), Worry Woman (Fear), and The Calendar Queen (Busyness), Kopitzke offers a gentle reminder to rest in the super power of our grace-filled God.

A fact-based and proven approach to help working mothers rediscover happiness as they balance their duties at home and work Science and sociology have made great strides in understanding what makes us happy and how we achieve it. For working mothers who face endless demands on their time and attention, What Happy Working Mothers Know provides scientifically proven and practical ways to find the right balance and replace stress with happiness. Written by a behavioral scientist and global leadership guru, and an international lawyer and career coach, this mom-friendly guide offers practical tactics that truly work. The demands of juggling work and home lead many women to try to do everything and be everything to everyone. In the effort to be Superwoman, many women lose sight of what makes them happy and they fail to realize how important their happiness is to being a good worker and a good mother. The key to being your best at everything you do is to take care of your happiness the way you take care of your health, through conscious choices every day. You’ll learn to overcome obstacles, apply lessons learned at work to your motherhood skills, and learn lessons from your children that you can apply at work. Includes interactive activities that illustrate important lessons in the book Shows you how to use positive psychology to shift from a scarcity mentality to an abundance mentality for workplace success Helps you tap into your own sense of joy every day for your own happiness and the happiness of those around you Science-based and packed with real case studies of real working moms Written by authors with impeccable qualifications and real-world experience Many moms raise great kids and achieve the professional success they desire and deserve, but if they aren’t happy, what’s the point? This book doesn’t show you how to have it all, but how to have all the things that really matter.