Customer Reviews

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms - 101 Stories Celebrating the Power of Choice for Stay-at-Home and Work-from-Home Moms

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How embarassing is it to be a contributor of this book without having read it? I knew my story almost verbatim but hadn't taken the time to read the other stories. Please don't think ill of me: I have a 7 month old who only recently started sleeping through the night and my tired eyes were not up for reading the stack of books on my nightstand. I finally had a long train ride and the book with me in my bag. What a great moment. Once I started I could not stop. Each one of these stories is a mini-treasure, a small window into the life of a mom who is different yet facing so many of the same choices, obstacles, issues, joys and sorrows that come with motherhood. The stories are not long and easy enough to read quickly before my eye lids begin to droop at bedtime. I recommend this to any mother, especially ones with small children who are trying to figure out their lives one day at a time. Congratulations to all the contributors on being great moms and thanks to them for sharing their beautiful stories.

This book is fantastic! I have my copy in my car, and I pick it up and read a few stories while I'm waiting to pick my child up at school. Every contribution is beautiful, and the honesty is fantastic! There's even a chapter written by MEN about their appreciation for their moms and wives! Whether you're the working mom, or the stay-home mom, or the empty nester, you will empathize with the authors, laugh, cry, and appreciate some new perspectives on the hardest non-paying job there is ;-)

I gave a copy of the book to my mom, the original power mom, because I wrote one of the stories in it. Well, she's getting a real kick out of reading all the stories. She says she keeps it by her exercycle and reads a few stories each time she works out. She thinks they're funny and wonderful and says they bring back lots of memories. After bearing five children and then building a business with my father, she knows what it's like to juggle the many priorities we moms do today. She now has 11 grandchildren and is still working hard at 71! This book would make a great Mother's Day gift for any mom.

A well-rounded collection of accounts written by mothers who chose to stay at home--either working from home or being full-time moms. It's time we shed the stigma and negative thoughts about parents who choose to (or have to) stay at home and take care of their children. It is the most natural thing to do. While some mothers have to work outside the home to make ends meet, and others choose a career over staying home and taking care of their children, it is a personal decision that should be made with the best interests of everybody in mind. Some families are fortunate in having loving relatives close by to help out; but if the parents are gone most of the time they miss out on the little milestones of their children's lives, and the true bonding that can take place if the family is together. Too many parents who work outside the home have to rely on a series of strangers to take care of their children. I once heard a working mother say, "I can always find a babysitter!" Yes, but what kind of babysitter? One who will really watch and interact with the children, or one who just wants to collect her pay? Once in my professional duties of Family Advocate (my children were nearly grown) I visited one home where the mother, who was doing childcare for a half-dozen children of working mothers, insisted that they sit in front of the TV all day; she interacted with them very little. I feel very fortunate to have grown up on a farm with both parents present, and all members of the family expected to share in the work; and the small trips, picnics and evening "game time" shared by the family.

Anyone who considers being a stay-at-home or work-from-home mom (or dad) should read this book. I already admire this dedicated group, like novelist Jane Green, actress Melora Hardin and Maternity Clothes business woman, Liz Lange. Yet, the stories give more insight than just being around the home. There is the on-going discipline of separating work from children, of keeping physically fit, of persistence and enduring the looks from people when you might explain that your "job" is an at-home mom, stay-at-home-dad or unpublished author.

A nice collection of heart, hope and humor.

As a stay-at-home mom, I found this book to be really inspirational. Especially during the chapter "The Daily Grind," I kept having these "It's not just me--I'm not alone" moments. The frustrations of caring for a small child, sacrificing your own needs (personal or career), and losing your former pre-mom identity are made easier just knowing that every single mom out there is going through the same challenges of balancing her life. There is a really powerful passage in "Metamorphosis" by Amy Mercer: "I stepped across a divide when I gave birth and my life split in two. There was the time before motherhood and the time after." This really hit home and helped me come to terms with the fact that my life is not and should not ever be the same again.

The theme of many of the stories centers around appreciating every moment with your kids. I tend to forget this in the chaos of the day, and reading this message over and over has helped reinforce the idea of how precious these few years are when my son is little. More than anything else, this book has taught me to enjoy the small, insignificant moments with him.

There are a couple chapters about moms who work. I do work from home part-time, but I have to admit I couldn't relate to these stories as much. Congrats to all those women who started their own businesses, but I just don't have the capacity to multitask like that. I ended up feeling more inadequate than inspired, but that's just my own weakness.

I really liked the stories from husbands about how much they appreciate the hard work their wives do. And I was overwhelmed to tears many times reading the "Becoming a Specialist" chapter, with heart-wrenching stories from moms going through unthinkable challenges with their marriages, their health, their children's health.

The book ends with several chapters from moms of grown-up kids, looking back and reminiscing on parenthood. Again, it was hard to relate to these stories since my son is only 4, and I'm not yet ready to face the day when he moves out on his own. I found myself becoming very, very sad when confronted with my future as an empty-nester. But amid these mostly depressing tales, there was one standout that was written with such graceful metaphors and poignancy that I cried not out of pain but out of love for my child. This story is "Run the River" by Ann Voskamp.

All in all, "Power Moms" was a powerful, engaging read. While I couldn't relate to EVERY story, I think that is the beauty of a book like this--there is something in it to appeal to every mom, whether working at a job or at home.

We need to celebrate women who are doing the most important job in the world: Raising their own kids. This book is a blessing for every stay-at-home-mom who feels alone and unappreciated.

Chicken Soup for the Soul's Power Moms is a must read for all moms, although stories are of stay at home and work at home moms because many moms regardless of work status face many of the same stresses, joys and other emotions when dealing with their families, children and selves.

There are 101 stories that include some from celebrities like Jodi Picoult, Liz Lange, and Lynne Spears. Stories are about 1-3 pages on average.