Perfectly Imperfect Mum by Sheena Tanna-Shah

Book Review Oct 19, 2020

My review

3/5 stars

The thing this book does best is its tone. The author maintains a positive, non-judgemental approach throughout, which is vital in a book of this nature. It would be really easy for the author to come across as condescending or come across as pushy with her advice, but the book feels like a nice warm hug, or having coffee with a friend who keeps your spirits up.

The breakdown of the chapters felt very manageable for a mum on-the-go - a couple of pages to paint a picture, some mindful tips, a recipe to try and a yoga pose. I actually would have liked a little bit more in them to be honest; while the positivity was great, I always appreciate real brutal honesty about how tough things can get as a parent and I feel like this book came in too soft on that at times.

The mindfulness tips were very accessible (which isn't always easy as mindfulness can feel like a very big concept) and felt that they could be easily slotted in around a busy day with kids. The recipes and the yoga poses were lovely additions but I personally felt less connected to them as tools to keep me calm and collected in my parenting life.

It may seem like a small niggle, but it really made a difference to my reading experience; I read a digital copy and the layout of the book didn't flow as well as I'd hoped, so things jarred for me as I was going through each chapter. The images were mostly on the following page rather than being on the same as their topic (e.g. the yoga pose picture not on the same page as the description) and the chapters all ran on from each other where a page break might have made things easier to digest visually.

It was a lovely quick read for anyone who is too hard on themselves as a mum (so all mums!).

* I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Book blurb

Perfectly Imperfect Mum: A Fun and Inspirational Guide for Busy Mums to Staying Mindful and Thriving Amid the Chaos is written by mindfulness coach, nutritionist and mum Sheena Tanna-Shah to help mums stay on track and embrace the fact that they can't be perfect all of the time, despite their very best intentions. Perfectly Imperfect Mum is structured around twenty everyday scenarios, with each scenario featuring a mindfulness and motivational tip, a nutritious yet simple recipe created to perfectly complement that particular scenario and a yoga pose or movement to help combat a particular situation. This blended combination of mindfulness tools allows mums to reset themselves, helping them to live in the moment instead of checking off the next item on the to-do list. Demonstrating to readers fantastic ways to feel the calm in the chaos and embrace the challenging days, Perfectly Imperfect Mum is designed to help mums thrive and enjoy the journey of motherhood. It offers a path to living for each moment while also staying connected to themselves and their children.