Customer Reviews

12 Simple Secrets Real Moms Know: Getting Back to Basics and Raising Happy Kids

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Finally, a real book for real moms offering real practical guidance for raising real children! I should know. I'm a mom of nine (yes, 9) children, aged 5 to 17. I've bought, read, skimmed, and peeked in almost every mothering/parenting book there is out there, and never found one that really offered sound direction or reassurance until now. It's put everything I've learned about being a mom (so far) into a wonderful, clear, and uplifting format (easy to pick up where you left off and read when you can catch a moment), and teaches me so much more. It should be a mandatory "manual" for all mothers!

The other thing I love about this book is that it promotes the fact that as moms we need to take care of ourselves, pursue our own interests, and not loose our identity in our families. Something I've worked hard to do myself and one of my biggest secrets for being "successful" in my calling as a mother. This book not only encourages you to eliminate the "supermom" image from your life, but tells you how to do it. Then helps you develop your own individual identity as a mother and set up your own mission statement or mothering plan from what Borba calls "A Mother's Promise," based on the true needs of our children.

There is no cookie cutter technique for parenting. Each family is unique and each child has their own individual needs, responses, attitudes, temperments, etc. This book helps you to use your mother instincts, as well as your own experiences, to create a plan that can work for your own family and each of your children as the individuals that they are.

I found this book at my church bookstore, but there is nothing necessarily religious or spiritual about it (other than respecting mothers' instincts). And yet, it doesn't offend in any way, and remarkably supports every parenting "style" from traditional to liberal, religious or cultural/ethnic based.

Dr. Michele Borba definately did a wonderful job with this book and my hat is off to her for being able to consolidate so much information she's acquired over the years from interviews, work, and research. People have been telling me for a long time that I should write a book about mothering (which I could only do about mothering my own children), but now I can and will simply recommend this incredible book.

It's high time we went back to basics in parenting. When my kids were young and I was transporting them from point A to point B, we turned the radio off and had some of our best conversations in that car. These days almost every mom I see dropping her child off at school has a cell phone to her ear as the little one exits the car. The look on their little faces is pitiful. They are used to being casually dismissed. So is the look on the mom's as she drives away, distracted and once again harboring guilt. So sad. Yes, mom's today are busier than ever. . .but do they have to be? No! Michele Borba's new book shows new, over-worked mom's how to achieve balance. Childrearing is supposed to be a joy. . .okay, it's frought with some rough days, but how many are of our own making because we've over-booked and over-stressed our kids and ourselves. What happened to simply being? Talking? Listening? Young adults tell us to "chill". So does Michele, in a completely practical, digestible way! BUY THIS BOOK and give it to young mom's in your life. I HAVE!

This book is about getting back to the basic principles of mothering. Borba uses real-life scenarios to help you understand how to employ the 12 "secrets." Also included in each and every chapter are sidebars with ideas and tips from mothers, a comprehensive list of books for more information on that topic, and a small area for you to jot down your thoughts. Borba says she wants this to be the last parenting book you read for a little while, and this is certainly the case for me. Barring any special problems you may have with your child that require further research and reading, it's a good bet you'll read 12 Simple Secrets and then take a break from other parenting books (especially the supermom, guilt-ridden books and magazines that seem to permeate the Parenting section in bookstores these days). This book is a breath of fresh air. I recommend you have a notebook handy as you read so you can jot down all the great ideas you'll get.

12 Simple Secrets Real Moms Know is the "how-to" book for any mom or mom-to-be wondering how to raise happy, caring, well-adjusted children. The best thing about it? It requires no special tools other than the ones you already possess! This book contains all the guidance and wisdom you need for great mothering skills that will ensure your kids are happy kids.

I would suggest this as a great resource with real life stories that apply to each section. Very helpful.

REALLY loved this book. Sometimes as a mom you lose sight of the important things, running around with sports, trying to be "mom of the year." Really nice way of making me grounded again, without condescending tones.

A most powerful and user friendly book that makes moms think, "Stop the motherhood frenzy and get a real life!" Understand how to connect with your children in a more simplified way that will balance your life and bring more joy, sanity, and success into both being a mom and creating a stronger family. Dr. Borba's back to basics approach, using extraordinary examples of moms whose journeys through motherhood took them to places they never knew existed within
themselves, helps mothers identify who they really are and what is truly important. A must read for those who want the recipe for being a great mother by raising happy kids!

I stumbled on the first chapter of this book, as it was free for kindles. As a conscientious mother in the midst of all the modern madness, I agree with everything about this book, except for one thing; its relevence. If what Borba states is true (and I happen to believe it is), then one of these 2 things is also true:
1. If mothering comes naturally to you, you don't need this book.
or 2. If mothering does not come naturally to you, you don't need this book. You need to not have children.

Maybe paying for this book will help a mother make her kid's life and his imprint on the world better. It would be great if it were so simple. Even better though, would be a book about how everyone's path to happiness is not the same and it's been a long time since our species had an obligation to be fruitful and if you decide to have a baby because you like babies or because your friend had a baby or to have a vicarious second chance at life or because maybe it will bring you closer to your partner or because you think your holidays are sub-par without a family portrait costco photo center christmas card to stick in the mailboxes of all the people you can't be bothered to place a phone call to the rest of the year, you probably just shouldn't. And if you went and did it anyway a book can't help you now.
I wanted to believe the author's heart was in the right place but if she believed her own words she wouldn't have to sell them.

This book was okay, but I spend my time on other books that I find more useful. I didn't spend much time on this one, but have just about worn out other books like Baby 411 and the Nursing Mother's Companion. Another favorite is Playful Parenting.