"Mothering Without A Map" Mothering Mentoring

Shortly after the twins were born, Mountain Man's Aunt, Kathryn Black, released another book, this book, "Mothering Without A Map! - the Search for the Good Mother Within."

You may recall the buzz when it was released in 2004. It received a nice recognition from Oprah in O: The Oprah Magazine Jan. '04. And Kathy was on the Today Show as well. You can find all of that here.

Of course, as a new mother, I was so happy to read up on this fascinating book. I love the idea that we can gain valuable insight in how we parent by looking at our own parents. Their good and the not so good. I'll admit it was brave of me to read such an intense read as a new naive mom, yet it did remind me of realities that I still think about today.

The best is that Mothering Without A Map really helped me face my own challenges in a positive way and in an empowering way. Yes, I have inadequacies and yes I can compensate for them by being the best Mommy I can be. It all starts with knowing myself and my own family tree.

Here is how the book begins:

"The journey toward motherhood for any woman begins with conception. But whose? Did my maternal path begin when my first child was conceived? The casual answer to that question is yes. But the true answer, I think, is that the journey began long ago, with my conception, or my mother’s, or her mother’s or even further back in the chain of mothers before us. For me, as for every woman, all the incidents of my life, all that makes up my character and personality, my DNA, what I read and experience, where I’ve traveled from and to, all of it led me to motherhood. And all of it affects how I mother. " Mothering Without A Map


Have your read it? Or do you want to recommend your own favorite? Look forward to hearing and do check this one out. You'll be glad.

Warmly,