The White Trash Mom Handbook: She's less than perfect and she's okay!
A speedy synopsis; based on the popular mommy blog (GASP!) the book has little to do with double-wides and is more about the insane expectations for "normal" modern parenting.
I agreed to participate in the White Trash Mom Campaign with the Parent Bloggers Network and, since I had the pleasure of meeting and working alongside authors Michelle Lamar and Molly Wendland with Disney's Family.com, I felt it important to begin my review with a speedy synopsis.
Why?
Because, living in a world where reality television reigns supreme, most parents would understand "white trash" as a derogatory term.
Including me.
That's what I thought, too -- until I had children -- and then everything I ever thought I knew about being "a good mother" sort of, you know, was ripped to shreds by Oprah and Dr. Phil.
[heavy sigh]
Spring forward, jump back two spaces...which is it?...I forget.
Then, my kids started school (gots me 4 of 'em, yo!) and it's when I began to think -- a dangerous concept for a Professional Dork, I know -- getting them to the next grade, alive, may very well kill me.
That's where White Trash Mom can help.
My 9 year-old son had a tough time with a "playground bully" this one particular year. Without going into much detail (you're welcome) the situation was...how shall I say this?...swept under the wood chips, if you will.
Why?
Because, the bully's mom was an officer on the PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) her husband coached soccer, basketball AND baseball and she was my son's class mom!
I've just described about half our town, really.
What did I do?
Nothing.
What does White Trash Mom have to say about talking to parents of bullies:
"Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever talk to the parents of a bully about the problem."
Just so you know, she writes "ever" 26 times in that paragraph -- yes, I counted and CAN be anal like that -- and most parents would probably think that they can simply discuss the issue calmly.
NOT ME!
Neither does White Trash Mom:
"If the parents have a sense of entitlement, the children will act the same way."
Having been there and done that -- not to mention, the situation turning out very badly, more than once -- these are very sage words, indeed.
Like, the pressures of elementary and middle-school sports:
"I can't begin to count the number of times a kid on a court or field makes a goal or a big play and immediately looks up into the stands for parental approval."
Having kids involved in both -- not to mention, attending 4 different schools this year -- and having spent the last...um...well, forget exactly how many years they've been playing soccer.
I've got 4 kids, remember?
Shelling out hundreds of dollars to support the fact that my husband and I feel that our children should at least "try" their hand (or foot) at organized sports (it's good for them) then, giving up 10 Saturdays and twice as many weeknights (only 2 kids are playing, this year) well, should we really be complaining?
White Trash Mom says:
"If your son or daughter really loves sports, let 'em play..."
According to White Trash Mom, it's keeping up with the Muffia, we should really be worried about:
"Remember the meanest girls in your seventh-grade class? Imagine that these girls are now adults and they have kids in school with your kids."
Aaaand that's how White Trash Mom rolls.
Taken with a sense of humor, The White Trash Mom Handbook is a refreshing respite to anyone who's ever battled with baking from scratch, or felt guilty for not signing up for the class trip, or taken to screening your calls, even though you are a stay-at-home mom and probably could have arranged [cough, cough] to be available.
In my opinion, their message is clear - it's okay NOT to be perfect. Just strive to be an exceptionally good example of being human.
But, then again, I am a Professional Dork!
FIND IT HERE: Amazon.com
[This review was made possible by The Parent Bloggers Network]
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