Customer Reviews

My Mother Wears Combat Boots: A Parenting Guide for the Rest of Us

5 star:		(13)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

While I enjoyed the show and touring stories, they're not mine. I didn't feel at all like an outsider to this narrative (unlike how I've felt around the punk scene, but that's another story). This is a great book for parents who want to challenge a lot of dominant ideas about childraising--TV as babysitter, pink and blue as immutable signifiers of genitalia, the need for tons of "baby gear"--and want concrete stories.

What I particularly valued about her book is that she doesn't only trot out the success stories. One example is her long chapter on the problems of hospital births and how she found the setting for the natural, midwife-assisted birth she wanted--only to end up in the hospital for reasons beyond her control. This allows me, as a reader, to imagine both my ideals for birth & childraising, and see how things can work out under non-optimal conditions.

Plus, she's just a super storyteller. I really could hardly put it down to even make dinner.

there are few enough books on alternative parenting, but this is my favorite so far for a couple of important reasons. for one thing, it contains real practical how-to information to the extent that if this was the only book you read on parenting you would probably be ok. even more importantly, it makes parenting sound doable. most of the alternative parenting books i've read seem to focus a lot on how hard parenting is, how much personal and artistic sacrifice is required and how to stay slightly sane in the process. while this book acknowledges those possibilities, it focuses much more on how to have a blast and do your best with parenting and the rest of your life post baby. those are the major things i liked, and then there were the little things, like the only mention i've seen anywhere of biking while heavily pregnant (yes, it is possible).

Through this book, J. Mills emerges as a resource long absent from the hip parent scene: she's done the grunt work of wading through conventional parenting guides, disentangling the rubies from the rubbish, and brings authentic, useful experience in an eloquently written companion to the adventures of procreation. Her well-researched and colorful breakdown of effective parenting and of maneuvering both the expected and the unexpected complexities within is essential pre-, during, or post-birth reading. Mills affirms that assuming the title of 'parent' does not mean losing one's personality. In fact, it'll help ensure that your child has one.

Since I have a vested interest in this book, I have been following the writing career of Jessica Mills for quite a number of years. When my copy of Jessica's book finally arrived in the mail, I couldn't stop reading bits and pieces of each chapter. It's an easy read because of the conversational style of writing laced with humor and chock full of useful information for new parents. This is a practical guide for the real world--and yes, you can do it all (with a little help from your friends)! I wish I had this resource when Jessica was born!

As a parent of teens, the first part of the book is pretty much old hat, BUT--the last few chapters are GREAT!! Talking about integrating the life of a parent and the life of an artist--and, whoa!, showing that parents actually have LIVES--was the best part of the book. I was partial to chapters 40 and 43, but that's just me.

Though I am not a parent, I nevertheless found this book extremely fascinating. It's full of useful information about midwifery, breast-feeding, attachment parenting, nutrition, the ecological virtues of cloth diapers, radical pedagogy, organizing cooperative childcare, activism, and more. Being a feminist queer activist, I especially enjoyed the chapters on resisting the baby gender-coding phenomenon. I also thought the interview with the Anti-Authoritarian Baby-Sitting Club was really great and I loved reading about her experiences at the anti-FTAA protest in Miami and the March For Women's Lives in DC. With humor, passion, and sound advice, Jessica Mills has written a compelling guide to raising independent, free-thinking, socially aware human beings. Whether you are an activist parent or someone simply interested in children's liberation, this book will educate, entertain, and inspire you. Jessica Mills is a fantastic writer who proves that being a mommy (or a daddy) doesn't mean having to sacrifice your art or your political ideals.

I've been following Jessica Mill's writing since her "Yard Wide Yarns" days.
She really brings it to a crescendo here.
The writing is calm, thoughtful, playfully reminiscent, and uber-interesting. I had trouble putting it down, and wanted to hop and skip chapters to find out what happens next.
After reading the fascinating description of the hospital birth, I jumped to FTAA protest and chapter on "curse words"... then back again to middle of book... the tone is friendly-conversational... you really feel like a person with good intentions is reaching out and speaking with you... and it's so honestly done, you can't help but be moved...
I imagine this will be a *very* practical guide for those of us who walk this path, of Parenting.
Thanks Jess and keep up the good work!
Punk Cookery, The Punk Rocker's Cafe Cookbook, Vegetarian Specialties

I bought this book while I was pregnant and am just finishing it now that my baby is 1.5. I am totally stoked about the information, because it feels real, and lived through. Not some information that is recommended by a bland author who may or may not have had children. It is really joyous to read this book while I breastfeed and am so stoked to pass it on when I am through to a friend. This is the only parenting book I would buy if you are not a "mainstream" mom. Finally someone cool wrote a parenting book!

I was really glad to be given this book as a gift when we had our daughter (it had been on my wishlist for many months prior the birth).
I found it's approach to parenting very open minded and honest to the writer's experience. I especially appreciate coming across a book that is aimed at us folks outside the mainstream (not that there is anything particularly wrong with the mainstream, it's just not for all of us).
Also, being a father, I really enjoyed the chapter dedicated to fatherhood and the challenges and solutions therein. Sure, it would be awesome if there was a punk-rock dad book out there (maybe there will be soon), but I felt everything written in the book was either applicable to both parents, and if not, it was illuminating nonetheless.
I continually find myself going back to the book or remembering things i read in there as go through my day -- the Discipline Notes chapter could not have been better written.
Thank you Jessica!

I have a desire to buy everybody this book. Truly great and very useful. My baby is 4 months old but the advices, experiences and instructions writer gave are so helpful and so down-to-earth that I have a feeling she is a friend who I can call anytime.
That being said I don't follow 100% all the advices and opinions although some are true eye-opener. (exp the fact that kids don't need expensive toys but are pretty happy with pots and pans - my daugther prefer plastic water bottle for example). One of the best reads for new mamas. Maybe Jessica is one alernative chick but her love and well-though way of raising her little girl is the best example we can all learn from.