Customer Reviews

Stay Home, Stay Happy: 10 Secrets to Loving At-Home Motherhood

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a new at-home mom on a very limited budget, I was interested in reading this book in hopes that the author would provide creative ways to stay upbeat and enjoy being home without breaking the bank. Unfortunately, the author and her family clearly have much disposable income, enough for vacations and "hired help" twice a week. It is written from the perspective of a mom who desperately wanted to be in the working world but when she didn't receive the job she was hoping for, she ended up staying home with her kids instead. She makes it clear that at-home motherhood chose her, she did not choose it. I, on the other hand, have always wanted to be home with my children and have never been career driven. I have no problem telling people I'm an at-home mom, but the author seems to take this as a personal failure and a conversation killer. As difficult as it is, I am very satisfied to be home with my baby, doing my own cooking and cleaning, and figuring out how to make it on only one income. It isn't a bad book, simply not what I expected and clearly written by someone very different than me.

I LOVE this book. I have read about 5 other books on staying at home, and this one is by far my favorite, and will stay on my bookshelf for future reference (unlike the others). The author is upbeat and fun, and I found the book to be a good mix of advice and her own personal experiences. I am new to staying at home, and am having a little bit of difficulty adjusting. I had expected to immediately fall into a routine and to have loved staying home from the beginning, and was surprised when I found myself doubting my skills as a mother and wondering if we wouldn't all be happier and better off if I went back to work. I felt much better after reading this book. Not only did this book let me know that that was okay and normal, but it changed my perspective and gave me some tools to help with the transition.
I particularly liked that the author said that she didn't just want to survive staying at home, she wanted to thrive, and make it a wonderful and positive experience for herself and the rest of her family. That's exactly what I want! The tips that the author gave in this book have already changed my outlook and my perspective on this stage in our lives, and my home is already a more positive and loving place. I also liked that there was no sense that the author thought poorly of women who did not stay at home - we all do what we can when we can. I am sure I would have benefited from reading this book when I was a working mother as well.
It helps that, like the author, I have an incredibly supportive and helpful husband. However, I think this would be a useful read for all moms, regardless of the level of support from their spouse, or whether or not they work outside the home. It's a fun, quick read that's positive and helpful at the same time. Good job!

While the author makes some good points in her book, she didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know. I was hoping/expecting something a little different. I also didn't realize how religious the book was going to be - if you aren't a religious person, this book isn't necessarily for you.

I have to admit that when I picked up this book, I didn't have high expectations.I bought it on clearance at the bookstore and figured it wouldn't matter if it ended up in the trash. After reading the first few chapters, I found myself drawn in. The book was well written with honesty. I found it to be refreshing to hear another Mom say " staying at home chose me, I didn't choose it". I have read so many SAHM books and have tossed them aside for their fluffy "staying home is the best" 1950's modeling. Not this one! I found the book to be current, full of great ideas about how to make your life at home personal for you. Great job Rachel~!

This book was an easy read, filled with helpful tips, reminders and encouragement for stay at home moms. Transitioning from a career outside the home to being a full time at-home mom of six, Rachel reminded me that the "reviews and raises" I receive are for eternity, not necessarily the short term.

Campos-Duffy delivers a tome full of personal stories and advice straight from her own experiences as a mother. Her sweet and candid writing style leaves readers feeling as if each chapter could be a hand-written letter meant to offer solace and wisdom on the trials and joys that go into at-home motherhood.

Stay Home, Stay Happy provides several anecdotes on what Campos-Duffy does in order to not only survive being a stay-at-home mother, but to embrace and enjoy the ride. This includes recognizing that motherhood is a family affair. She does well to point out the importance of having an open and supportive relationship with one's spouse, as well as leaning on strong female relationships for bouts of relief and guidance. She is also quick to remind mothers not to discount themselves in an atmosphere that can often breed chaos and cause caretakers to put themselves on the back-burner.

A woman well accomplished outside of the home, Campos-Duffy holds a master's degree in Pacific studies and international affairs, is a frequent guest co-host for The View, and is often sought by various news outlets for her opinions on current events and politics. The caliber of her resume makes it no small thing that she counts at-home motherhood as her most important charge.

The book may be geared toward at-home mothers, but its advice is applicable to parents of all life-styles. As she has written in the book, "We are not born good parents. We learn to be good parents."

Indeed, Campos-Duffy does not settle for finding day-to-day happiness, but is determined to seek a lifetime of enrichment for her and her family, and the families of her readers.

As a new stay at home Mom, I thought this book was great! It's an easy read and full of useful tips and tidbits. There are definitely parts of the book that I will reference over and over again. This one is staying on my book shelf!

I am a stay at home mom who recently stopped working. This book is well written, quick and easy to read (essential for me these days), and most importantly filled with great tips on how to stay sane, and, well, "happy" in my new at home role (though a lot of these tips would work equally well if I were still going to the office). I also enjoyed the way that the author intermingled her personal stories with practical advice, which makes this book less dry than some of the other mommy "how-to" books I have read. The author doesn't claim everything is a bed of roses (which I really appreciated) but offers great advice on how to navigate through tough issues without getting too bogged down. The book isn't just about parenting but offers lots of tips on how to take care of myself while taking care of my family (which I believe is what sets this book apart from many of the books out there covering similar topics). Stay Home Stay Happy was well worth the read and I look forward to referring back to it again and again over the coming months.

I just finished reading this book, and excitedly purchased copies for my friends. I have to admit to expecting this book to be just another indictment on mothers who work - but was pleasantly surprised to find a heartwarming story of a woman who found herself staying at home with her children and learned to love and cherish it!! I'm a working mother, and was actually expecting to write a scathing review - instead, I'm humbled to write that I LOVED THIS BOOK!! The tips and ideas the author gives mothers, while particularly applicable to at-home mothers - are insightful and fun for those of us who work, but still value and love our role as mother! The author writes extremely well; you'll find yourself unable to put the book down - and you'll end up really appreciative that this mother allowed you such a personal glimpse into her home to share her experience in the wonderful world of motherhood!!! Makes a great gift for an expectant mother, girlfriend, ladies' book club, etc.!!

I rarely write reviews, but thought this book was worthy of a good review. The book is honest, written by a mom willing to say here are some great ideas, but sometimes things can't go picture perfect, but this is what you can strive for. Instead of making you feel like an inadequate mom, she gives you examples of how you can be better and how you can use your own skills to be better. I plan to keep this book and reread it every few years because she addresses raising kids of all different ages.