No Sweat!

Life is often like making a movie, sometimes we need more than one take to get it just right. When we make mistakes along our journey through life, we can choose to have a "do over" if you will. We can learn from the err of our ways, stop looking back, and move ahead with a new attitude and a fresh perspective.

As a mom, I have made plenty of mistakes ~ yelling too much, losing my patience easily, and forgetting to live in the moment. Moments in mothering go by in a flash. Most special memories are often captured in photos and videos, but the little day to day things often go unnoticed. Unless of course, they are things that cause us to worry, fret, or question our decisions as a parent.

We need to let go of these nagging little worries, and we can do so with the help from a new book from the Don't Sweat the Small Stuff series, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff for Moms: Simple Ways to Stress Less and Enjoy Your Family More" by Kristine Carlson. Here at the 3 Things Blog, just one of us is a mom but that's OK because many of the ideas in the book can apply to anyone even my partner-in-blogging, Brian. Although he is not a parent, Brian is an uncle to two cute nephews, and a son to one awesome mom. Hmmm . . . maybe I should send him a copy of the book. Nah, he can get a sneak peak at the first chapter, and so can you. Just fill in this short form and if you read to the very end of this post, you will get the chance to win a free copy of the book. Now that's a good thing! No fair skipping ahead to the giveaway, first take a look at my 3 Good Things about this read:

2. Advice for all This book offers tips and suggestions for all kinds of moms - new moms, single moms, moms of tweens and teens, even empty nest moms and grandmas too. Carlson's advice is cultivated by her own experiences with motherhood combined with personal accounts from friends as well as information from experts. There also is an useful resource section at the end of the book.

3. Short Snippets Carlson knows moms. We are a busy lot, and might not always have the time to sit down for a few hours with a good book. She breaks the book into 100 brief, but informative, chapters for easy reading. This format suits my nighttime habit of reading a bit in bed before falling asleep. The format also allows the reader to select which chapters to read at random depending on one's needs, interests, or time constraints.

1. Imperfect is OK The very first chapter of this book is by far one of my favorites ~ There is No Such Thing as a "Perfect" Mom. I wholeheartedly agree! Carlson encourages moms to be authentic: to acknowledge mistakes, learn from them, and apologize for them if necessary. She writes,"When we make space for imperfection and mistakes, we give our kids a chance to deepen themselves and become more true to themselves and real as they grow up. Abandoning perfectionism is such a relief for us, and them."

Now that you've listened to my take on this terrific little book, it's your chance to win a free copy. How? Just leave a comment in the comment box below this post by Sunday, May 27. If you're not sure how to do that, check out the How to Comment section in the sidebar on the right. One reader will be randomly chosen as a winner on Memorial Day (Monday, May 28) - just in time for a little summer reading. Good luck!

Disclaimer: For purposes of this review and giveaway, I received a free copy of the book as part of the "I'm a Don't Sweat Mom" campaign.