How To Be an 'Amazing Mum' When You Just Don't Have the Time by Tanith Carey, Lion Books

Subdivided into ten bite-sized chapters in two parts, How To Be An Amazing Mum is full of often original, but tried and tested, advice and short-cuts that are really useful for parents who just do not have enough hours in the day. With that in mind, the book is really easy to dip into as time permits, with short chapters, bullet points and clear headings.
 
Tanith Carey has a non-preaching approach which affirms the fact that is perfectly acceptable to have the odd take-away and let you children veg out in front of the television from time to time! Her writing style is conversational and humorous: her assertion that "cleaning your house with kids around is like shovelling the sidewalk before its stopped snowing" particularly resonated with me!
 
The first section, The Hassled Mum's Guide to Keeping Your Home - and Your Kids - Under Control in Just a Fraction of the Time, gives advice about keeping on top of your home life and your children, handling topics such as ‘Head off mess before it happens - and choose toys which won't leave your home looking like a bombsite' and ‘Get your children to do what you ask, the first time, not the twentieth'! The second section The Hassled Mum's Guide to Looking Good, Keeping Fit and Feeling Great, is devoted to mums - beauty, clothes, body image and time for you and your partner.
 
What I really like about this book is her philosophy that children should start taking more responsibility for themselves: through making their packed lunches from the age of eight; getting them in to the habit of writing down their social and other commitments on a blackboard in the kitchen (how many times have I been caught out by that party invitation which has sat in the book bag for weeks!) and so on.

Tanith Carey is also a woman after my own heart in the way she suggests interacting with children, giving tips and advice around not entering into a debate when you want (or need!) your kids to do something; setting limits and sticking to them and asserting that "if you don't say no, you are not doing your job (as a parent) properly." For career mums she also offers some great tips and reminders about making time for your children and always delivering on your promises.
 
My only gripe with How To Be An Amazing Mum When You Just Don't Have the Time is that the author does assume that the reader has an income level sufficient to permit bulk buying; ownership of a big freezer, dishwasher etc. That said, this is a great book for any parent, and for new mums, in particular. After 16 years of juggling parenting and a career I (rather smugly!) thought that this book could offer nothing new to me, but how wrong I was!

Published by Lion Books, How To Be An Amazing Mum When You Just Don't Have the Time, is available from Amazon - to order a copy click the link below. There are currently no delivery fees.
 
How to be an Amazing Mum When You Just Don't Have the Time: The Ultimate Handbook for Hassled Mothers