Desperate Giveaway
Are you desperate?
No, not as in a desperate housewife.
I mean do you ever feel in your mothering that you are in a desperate place?
Exhausting round-the-clock babies.
Trying toddlers.
Physically draining school-aged kids.
Emotionally draining teens.
My friends Sally Clarkson and Sarah Mae are releasing their new book today entitled Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breath. Here is what I said in my endorsement of it:
“Motherhood is an emotional roller coaster ride. One moment finds you blessed and proud; the next leaves you stressed and drained. The ups and downs wreak havoc on your heart, often knocking the wind right out of your maternal sails. Desperate is a moms manual for what to do–and what not to do–when you feel the ride is just too scary and you don’t know how you’ll ever hold on. Sarah’s honest questions and Sally’s seasoned advice, laced with biblical insight and hopeful encouragement, will enable mothers of all ages and stages to find strength amidst the struggles, calm with every climb and peace in every plunge.”
If you’d like to know more about this fabulous book (and some cool freebies they are offering) I’ve included links below.
They are also hosting a Twitter party tonight at 9 pm EST. Be sure to check out this wonderfully honest mentoring book for moms.
MY GIVEAWAY: Two of you who comment on this post will win a copy of Desperate. Just tell us this:
What part of mothering leaves you most desperate?
For me? Watching my kids make bad choices sometimes and then suffer the fallout. It seems it would be easier to over-control them and yet, I know they need to learn hard lessons for themselves.
How about you? What makes you a desperate mom sometimes?
Relentless is one word to describe my 5 year old. This equals the part of mothering that leaves me most desperate! She’s trying, she’s independent, she’s brutally honest, she’s mine. What a challenge this presents, but what a blessing she is from God! We love her dearly and pray often!
Feeling like I just cannot get it all done: homeschool, training, laundry, dishes, cleaning, and role modeling, as well as being a good wife. Sometimes it is just so overwhelming and you do feel desperate to breathe! Only with the Lord’s help do I make it through some days in one piece! :)
I get desperate when I try my best to talk to my kids, really talk to help them understand life and learn from my mistakes or the mistakes of others. I get frustrated when no matter how much I try to help them by being upfront and completely honest with them, they just don’t listen or regard anything I have to offer them. I know part of growing up is making mistakes and learning from them, but I truly try to be completely honest with my children so that some day when they need to come to me and know that I’ll be completely honest with them, that they can count on me.
I don’t pretend to be perfect – we talk through everyday situations as they happen.
My desperation comes from the fighting between my children.
I am a new mom. My little boy is 7 months old. I’m a full-time working mom as a high school teacher. What has made me most desperate is the lack of truths about how hard it is. So many women share these fantasy stories of “it’s the best thing ever” without a mention of the hardships. Not many women pepper those conversations with how difficult it really is at times. No ones talks about holding that two month old for hours, who is screaming and crying while you, too, start crying out of pure desperation. It seems that so many women take it as a badge of honor to make sure everyone thinks everything is perfect and their lives are full of only smiles and giggles. If more women were “real” and honest and open about their challenges and struggles, that feeling of desperation we have all felt as moms wouldn’t come with a dose of embarrassment, guilt, or frustration. THAT is the desperation I feel. A desperation for honesty, true expressions of motherhood, and comfort in the sisterhood that should exist. I once read a quote, “It’s not always good in the Mother-Hood!” Hilarious. And true.
When my son was little, I attended a “play group” that was really a “mommy group.” The first day the group met, the leader said, “If any of you can’t admit that you have sat on the kitchen floor crying, this isn’t the group for you, because we are going to be honest here.” What a relief! Keep looking, and you will find like minded support.
Feeling like I mess up a lot, not being able to see past my mistakes to what I do right. And not seeing my mistakes in light of trying really hard but being human.
I get frustrated and desperate my girls refuse to listen and do as I ask and also when they fight.
With 5 kiddos 10 and under with the youngest being 18 month old twins, I am constantly feeling desperate! Mobility with the twins has me in constant motion. They require ALOT of attention and my 4 (girl) year old suffers. Then my 7 (girl) and 10 (boy) year old seem to be fighting constantly…. I could really use this book! :)
WOW – what makes me feel desperate? I feel desperate when my husband and I don’t agree on discipline, when my toddler is aggressive physically when frustrated. I am also feeling desperate at becoming a mom of 2 in a few weeks. Going from 1 to 2 is intimidating!
I’m desperate to know how to lead my children, as individuals, in the midst of the teen and tween years. What is motivating to one is unbelivably discouraging to the other, and vice versa.
I’m despairing over my middle daughter who at 18 has almost daily given us extreme stress. She has moved away without telling us where she is and I never know when I’ll see her. I cry all the time with worry. My youngest seems to have no regard for laws, or getting good grades in school. It has been a year from hell. I’m a desperate mom for sure.
The not listening drains me… I keep repeating myself getting louder every time even though I know that yelling does not work… It’s so draining and gets me no where!
I fear that my boys will have issues in later relationships due to problems that my husband and I have had. I fear that I am not the parent that GOD intended me to be. I love my boys, I just want them to grow to be the men that GOD has planned for them and not make the crazy mistakes that have followed me my entire life.
The part of mothering that leaves me most desperate is disobedience from my kids. They’re both extremely strong willed and correcting their behavior takes lots of work. I’m left feeling exhausted, exasperated and embarrassed, especially when they misbehave in public.
The sleepless nights make me feel desperate. My youngest is about to turn 1 and I have yet to get a full nights’ rest-it’s tough.
My tendency toward perfectionism is the element that makes me feel most desperate.
I feel desperate when I take my 3 year old son to his third speech therapy session of the week and then hear him scream at other kids at a play date because he still can’t talk, and I worry about what his future will hold.
I feel desperate when my 2 year old daughter cries for hours and won’t go to sleep.
Smart. Mouthed. Children!!!! ;)
I feel helpless and desperate when the children witness the inconsistencies of adults and start wondering why & what – very hard to explain to their young mind the faults of the adults that they are looking up to for guidance and support….
Always being consistent in teaching a child right from wrong. Also, I would like to hope it is a good idea to bring them up with some of your values in order that a small part of you might be instilled in them forever to help them be a more responsible adult when they grow up. Being a parent certainly has it challenges on a daily basis in today’s times, but I know all parents do the best they can with what they have to offer their child…hopefully lots of love and attention. Daily prayer can also help keep a devoted parent on track who truly love their children and want the best for them.
The part of motherhood that leaves me desperate is the fact that even though I am married I feel like I carry the weight of parenting all alone. I am a stay at home mom who home schools three out of four children. Being with them 24/7 makes me feel more like a task master who is checking off all the to do checklist in my day rather than being a “Mom” who’ s making happy memories.
I feel desperate a lot. Trying to convince my children to make wise decisions, trying to lead them to the Lord, just trying to get enough sleep! I’m grateful for the peace that I have already in Christ, but reading this book will surely be a blessing and help too.
I wish all of you sweet mamas a break! I understand so much the feelings and the weight but you are your children’s heroes. What heartfelt thoughts are here. May you know God’s sweet grace and peace in your lives today.
Thanks for stopping by Sally!!!
Being consistent. Training with joy even when it took 75, yes seventy-five, minutes to get my son’s socks on him this morning if you start the clock from the first request to finally getting them on and the tantrums in between. I think this book is for me! :-)