The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers Book Review

The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming Our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity by Margaret J. Meeker seemed like a great book to check out when I saw it on another blog.  I went online to reserve it thinking that it would help me stay sane :)  I decided to read it while I had a full house of visitors to add to the need for sanity!

The chapters are based on the 10 Habits as follows:

1. Understand Your Value as a Mother
2. Maintain Key Friendships
3. Value and Practice Faith
4. Say No to Competition
5. Create a Healthier Relationship with Money
6. Make Time for Solitude
7. Give and Get Love in Healthy Ways
8. Find Ways to Live Simply
9. Let Go of Fear
10. Hope Is a Decision- So Make It!

After starting it, I realized it really wasn't a book that I would normally read.  There was a lot of spiritual and god speaking through people references that aren't my normal literature but I kept reading (all of Chapter 3).  It was mostly talking about having faith and not a belief in a certain religion so it was still a motivational chapter.

There were some good points in the book including not to be competitive or jealous of other mothers (Chapter 4).  Have you ever seen a mother who has the well dressed child and has her hair and make up done and thought... what am I doing wrong that I haven't even bothered any of that in years?  Don't be jealous because she doesn't have it together anymore than you and may have woken up hours early to do all that work before her child woke up. 

The author talks about making decisions on why you are spending money (Chapter 5) and not spending emotional.  I don't think that I really do this anymore so I guess that is one chapter crossed off the list.  The author says that she likes to purchase plum lipstick to make her feel better.  I know a few people that buy shoes, purses, or clothes to make them feel better.  Many people know that they have issues with specific items but this still doesn't change that they feel emotional better when they buy them.  It is best to work on being happy and not needing more of what you already have.

It also talks about needing solitude and taking a break from noise even if just a few minutes on a car ride (Chapter 6).  I know that before I had my son, I must have had a lot of quiet time because I don't remember needing it like I do now.  I find that I like my quiet time now and even require it.  Many people told me that when I quit my job that I would miss people tons and not be able to make it at home.  Turns out, now that I am home with my son, I find that I love my quiet time even more and don't miss people at all.  I would take hours of time of quiet if possible and even turn off the radio sometimes in the car when I am by myself.

Live Simply (Chapter 8)!  This chapter talks about how you should spend more time together as a family and not over schedule so that you don't enjoy family time.  The part that rings true to me is that the best part of growing up and that you remember later in life if dinner with the family and game nights.  If you had piano lessons, baseball practice, and other after school events, then you would be spending all the time driving to and from events and not enjoying time as a family.

Each chapter covers a great topic and gives examples with real people.  The chapter ends with three ways to make the habit stick which provides exact steps on trying to make your life more HAPPY :)  The structure is easy to read and makes the book fly by.  Even though it isn't a book I would normally choose, I am glad that I read it and I would recommend it to others to want to make their life more positive.

I hope that you pick up this book at your local library or bookstore soon.  Please let me know what you think of the book when you read it!!!