Confessions of a Slacker Mom 
asked by allnet on November 21, 2006 12:33 AM
Parents who are fed up with the pressure to turn their children into star athletes, concert violinists, and merit scholars-all at once!-finally have an alternative: the world of Slacker Moms, where kids learn to do things for themselves and parents can cut themselves some slack; where it's perfectly all right to do less, have less, and spend less.
Slacker moms say "No" to parenting philosophies that undermine parents'-and children's-ability to think for themselves. They say "Yes" to saving their money and time by opting out of the parenting competition. And they say "Hell, Yes!" to having a life of their own, knowing it makes them better parents.
In this witty and insightful book, author Muffy Mead-Ferro reflects on her experience of growing up on a ranch in Wyoming, where parenting-by necessity-was more hands-off, people "made do" with what they had, and common sense and generational wisdom prevailed. We should all take her sane lead!
Reviews
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I will admit one thing right now, I am glad that I didn't read the spotlight reviewers or any other reviewers before I bought this book or even before I read it. I guess the author has touched some sore spots with this little book.
As for me, I found this book refreshing. It is honest. I didn't find it bitter or anything. I laughed out loud in places where I even recognize myself and while I don't agree with every single thing this woman said, I enjoyed her perspectives and thoughts. As a mom of twin preschoolers, I have been known to buy excessive amount of toys till in a fit of frustration, give a good part of it away. I am known to scrapbook ~~ which I love to do and count myself fortunate to be able to do that. I still laugh though over Mead-Ferro's description of her first scrapping party (which I have never attended either ~~ I prefer to do those things solo). Sure I am a stay-at-home mom ~~ but I didn't find this book insulting at all.
I find it delightful, thoughtful and with good points. So what if she has a nanny? She mentioned that she grew up on a ranch in Wyoming and the stable hands were her nannies. She was just stressing the point what works for her works for her and she is not alarmed to have someone else watch her kids. In fact, she did mention that she's a happier person because she's not trapped at home and feeling guilty ~~ she's enjoying her job and providing a good role model for her children in seeing that work is not bad.
She wasn't warped by the fact that her parents worked hard all day and expected the same of her and her brothers. She wasn't warped because of her lack of toys. She didn't lose out educationally because she didn't have all those educational toys (which after seeing how MY two just dump them in the toy box ... she has good points regarding that. Think it's odd that her daughter played for hours with an empty paper towel roll ~~ my two play with my pots and pans, and play choo choo trains with kitchen chairs and yes, with an empty paper towel roll). She was taught responsibility, discipline and work ethics. Was she bored as a kid? Yes. Is boredom a bad thing? No.
I think she was just responding to all these parenting books, magazines, videos that are out there and stating the obvious: just thirty plus years ago, parents didn't have all these advantages and people still turned out fine. That doesn't mean that we should ignore our kids ~~ but it's ok once in awhile not to give in to their demands or expectations. It's ok to be the parent of the relationship. It's ok to have your own life as well. It's ok to stop stressing over every little detail of your child's life. And it's ok to have fun. And starting with this little gem of a book ~~ it's ok to do all these things (within reason, of course) and maybe enjoy your children's lives before they grow up. They grow up too fast anyways.
10-31-06
As for me, I found this book refreshing. It is honest. I didn't find it bitter or anything. I laughed out loud in places where I even recognize myself and while I don't agree with every single thing this woman said, I enjoyed her perspectives and thoughts. As a mom of twin preschoolers, I have been known to buy excessive amount of toys till in a fit of frustration, give a good part of it away. I am known to scrapbook ~~ which I love to do and count myself fortunate to be able to do that. I still laugh though over Mead-Ferro's description of her first scrapping party (which I have never attended either ~~ I prefer to do those things solo). Sure I am a stay-at-home mom ~~ but I didn't find this book insulting at all.
I find it delightful, thoughtful and with good points. So what if she has a nanny? She mentioned that she grew up on a ranch in Wyoming and the stable hands were her nannies. She was just stressing the point what works for her works for her and she is not alarmed to have someone else watch her kids. In fact, she did mention that she's a happier person because she's not trapped at home and feeling guilty ~~ she's enjoying her job and providing a good role model for her children in seeing that work is not bad.
She wasn't warped by the fact that her parents worked hard all day and expected the same of her and her brothers. She wasn't warped because of her lack of toys. She didn't lose out educationally because she didn't have all those educational toys (which after seeing how MY two just dump them in the toy box ... she has good points regarding that. Think it's odd that her daughter played for hours with an empty paper towel roll ~~ my two play with my pots and pans, and play choo choo trains with kitchen chairs and yes, with an empty paper towel roll). She was taught responsibility, discipline and work ethics. Was she bored as a kid? Yes. Is boredom a bad thing? No.
I think she was just responding to all these parenting books, magazines, videos that are out there and stating the obvious: just thirty plus years ago, parents didn't have all these advantages and people still turned out fine. That doesn't mean that we should ignore our kids ~~ but it's ok once in awhile not to give in to their demands or expectations. It's ok to be the parent of the relationship. It's ok to have your own life as well. It's ok to stop stressing over every little detail of your child's life. And it's ok to have fun. And starting with this little gem of a book ~~ it's ok to do all these things (within reason, of course) and maybe enjoy your children's lives before they grow up. They grow up too fast anyways.
10-31-06
reviewed by glassysurf on November 24, 2006 7:11 PM
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The book was a lighthearted read, meant to make fun of all of the "overachiever" moms out there. It inspired me to think about what is really important, but more than that, it made me laugh. Wish I had read this one before I spent $80 on my son's infant "gym" toy....
reviewed by vladi on November 24, 2006 7:30 PM
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It must be fabulous, simply FABULOUS to have perfect children and be practically perfect in every way!!
Yo, Muff. You need to up the dose on that bitter pill and work on that condescending, superior attitude.
It's not quite oozing out of every pore yet.
Toodles now! I'm off to scrapbook, which is really just an extension of what our mothers and their mothers before them did in keeping a journaled photo album of our milestones.
A gift I treasure to this day.
Yo, Muff. You need to up the dose on that bitter pill and work on that condescending, superior attitude.
It's not quite oozing out of every pore yet.
Toodles now! I'm off to scrapbook, which is really just an extension of what our mothers and their mothers before them did in keeping a journaled photo album of our milestones.
A gift I treasure to this day.
reviewed by teacher on November 25, 2006 2:58 AM