Product Description

Lose the Guilt, Love Your Instincts

If the latest “breakthrough” child-development theory, parenting technique, or child-appropriate diet makes you worry or groan (or just want to lie down for a nap), it’s time to make way for Momfidence! Paula Spencer, parenting expert and mother of four, provides refreshing, down-to-earth proof that most of the business of raising confident, healthy children involves nothing more complicated that trusting your instincts, using common sense, and above all, hanging on to your humor.


Momfidence! is:

•Using “perfect” only to describe such wonders as a ripe peach, a cloudless day at the beach, or a husband who does diapers and dinner. . . It has no application whatsoever in describing motherhood.

•Recognizing that there are appropriate times and places for lying, yelling, threatening, bribing, and saying “I told you so”

•Sending yourself to time-out—preferably with chocolate and/or your spouse

•Being completely amnesiac about the day’s exasperating transgressions when you peek in your children’s bedrooms at night and watch them sleep


Based on her popular Woman’s Day and Parenting columns, Momfidence! explains how obsessing less and winging it more can keep you sane—and your kids healthy and happy. It’s a hilarious look at “perfect motherhood” that cuts parents a long-overdue break by reminding us that we’re not the amateurs here—we’re all experts, too.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #306463 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-05
• Released on: 2006-09-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From Publishers Weekly
When a lawyer in California tries to ban the sale of Oreos to minors, Paula Spencer comes to the rescue, showing how good old common sense trumps the "parenting experts" any day. The author and mother of four, who writes the "Momfidence" column in Woman's Day magazine, dispenses what she's learned on the job in an upbeat, funny and practical way: "There is no right or wrong way to do most of the business of parenting. There is, however, almost always a more expedient one." Debunking parenting overkill, Spencer provides helpful reality checks ("Every firstborn is a guinea pig") and reassuring tales of her own moments of doubt, poking fun along the way at health trends, safety angst and the overwhelming number of childhood experts ready to make your parenting decisions for you: "No matter how many tax dollars are being spent ... on researchers dissecting the minds, bodies and stomachs of our kids, raising a child will always be an art form, not a science." For Spencer, parenting is about mothers doing what works for them, losing their guilt and having confidence in their choices-whether that means bedtime at 8:00 p.m. sharp, drugging your kids with TV, or choosing to feed your picky child "whatever he will eat."
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"A breath of fresh, calming air. Spencer's experience has made her a true childrearing expert with a keen new insight: We're making the job harder than it has to be." —Linda Murray, Editor-in-Chief, Babycenter.com

“Paula Spencer has written the ultimate insider’s guide to life on Planet Mom–a book that is guaranteed to boost your ‘momfidence’ by the day. If you’re convinced that you’ve blown your nomination for Mother of the Year because your six year old has been wearing mismatched socks to school all week; your ten year old keeps sneaking contraband snack foods to school in his lunch bag; and the clutter in your house is breeding faster than the items on your ‘to do’ list, take note: Momfidence is your book.” —Ann Douglas, author, The Mother of All Pregnancy Books and The Mother of All Parenting Books

 “Finally! A mom who parents from her gut, not her guilt! Paula Spencer dares to trust her instincts and her common sense, while humorously inspiring readers to do the same. Advice as sensible as it is entertaining.” —John Rosemond, syndicated parenting columnist and author

“Being informed is one thing. Being overwhelmed is another. Written with warmth, humor and real-world wisdom, Momfidence reminds parents to keep the advice that works, leave what doesn’t, and cue in to those all-important instincts that help families grow, thrive and enjoy the ride.” —Debbie Glasser, Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Founder of NewsForParents.org  

”Paula Spencer leads by example and does so hysterically.  I only wish I had a copy of this book when my children were younger.  Momfidence is a book every mother should keep close by for those inevitable "have I totally screwed up" moments. Momfidence is a great gift for every mom who needs some perspective. I love this book.” —Mimi Doe, award-winning author of Busy but Balanced and founder of SpiritualParenting.com.

About the Author
Paula Spencer writes the “Momfidence!” column in Woman’s Day magazine and is a longtime contributing editor to Parenting and Baby Talk. She is the coauthor, with Harvey Karp, M.D., of The Happiest Toddler on the Block. Spencer lives with her husband and four children in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Fantastic Book!
This book was a breath of fresh air! It is a laugh-out-loud, fun book to read -- I found myself recounting many parts of the book to friends and family. We Moms can be so hard on ourselves sometimes, and this book was a great reminder that if we just relax and enjoy our kids they will turn out just fine! It's also a great confidence booster to realize that you're not alone -- the craziness involved with raising kids is something EVERY parent goes through.

Happy parent here!
"Momfidence" is what comes natural - before we're brainwashed by experts and pressured by the "mompetition". (Was that a quote from the book, or did I make it up? Either way, I truly believe it!)

This is by far the best parenting book I have ever read, and I am (or was) obsessed with anything written on the subject. Every mom in the world should read this book - with an OPEN mind. You can't take every single thing she writes literally people! I love Whole Foods, in fact, my husband and I are vegan and so is our little one, and I wasn't offended or aghast at any of her comments on the subject. You have to look at the big picture here. The irresponsible thing would be for someone to read this book and take everything word for word without using your own brain and gut to make decisions for your family.

I'm just so glad I got ahold of it as soon as I did. I've only got one little munchkin so far, and all the natural wisdom from this book will not be lost on her or any other of my future kiddos!

Parenting books from A- Z
Okay... so here's how I see it. As a mother of five, I have prided myself on my seeminly endless efforts to become the "greatest mom ever"
If you were to look at my parenting section in my books shelf it would look something like this:
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING, WHAT TO EAT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING, WHAT TO EXPECT THE TODDLER YEARS,BABYWISE 1 AND 2, SO YOU WANT TO RAISE A BOY, LOVE AND LOGIC MAGIC FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD,THE STRONG WILLED CHILD, THE EXPLOSIVE CHILD, SIBLINGS WITHOUT RIVALRY, LOVE AND LOGIC-WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CHILD LEAVES YOU SPEECHLESS, HOW TO BEHAVE SO YOU'RE CHILDREN WILL TOO, SUPERNANNY... AND FINALLY MOMFIDENCE. (plus about ten others stuffed in between.)
Do you see the pattern here? It wasn't until Momfidence that it finally all made sense. We make being a parent way too hard! The author's tell it like it is style of writing is so refreshing and funny. It's an easy read that any woman can relate too. Although I think it is funnier for a woman who has born and reared children.
Absolutely without a doubt- we mom's do not give ourselves enough credit- Thank you Paula for taking the guilt away and making parenting fun.
I can finally end my search for the perfect parenting book... cuz there ain't one out there. I'm just gonna relax, chill and enjoy the ride with my Momfidence in one hand and my five beautiful children in the other.