Raising A Happier Mother by Anna Mathur

Book Review Oct 03, 2023

My review

4/5 stars

I've been a fan of Anna Mathur for a while now, following her on Instagram and reading all of her books. I've had this particular offering on pre-order since March!

Like her other books, this one felt like a warm hug from a friend. The messages she put forward in her writing were delivered with gentle warmth and calm certainty that made it impossible not to feel better after reading them.

She covered many of the issues that crop up in daily motherhood and always approached solutions from the angle of the mother, never the child. Everything was approached from a non-judgemental viewpoint, and included personal anecdotes to assure you that you are not alone in your feelings.

This book is wholeheartedly about the mum's experience of parenting and how to improve it.

Book blurb

This isn't a parenting book.
This isn't a guide to being a perfect parent (spoiler: they don't exist)
This is a book about you.

We can only anchor, nurture, nourish and instill confidence in our children when we extend the same support to ourselves. After all, how can we effectively tend to our children's needs when our energy reserves are depleted? How can we lead by example and teach our children the importance of healthy self-esteem if we are struggling with these things ourselves? There are a thousand and one ways to parent, and only one way that's authentic for you.

Drawing on her work as a psychotherapist, alongside her own experiences as a mother, Anna shows that caring with our children begins with caring for ourselves, and it's time to replace exhaustion with empowerment. Far from being selfish, self-care is an essential quality of a happier mother good parent. The greatest gift you can give to to yourself and your children, is to give yourself permission to thrive.