Slummy Mummy

This was an interesting entry in the Chick Lit category because I felt like the author branched out several times through the dialogue of some characters to share her opinion on current issues like feminism and the SAHM/working mother so called war. But overall, I thought it was a fabulous book, and totally quenched my craving for brit chick lit. I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but I was happy the book ended the way it did, which was what I thought was the "right" way.

In the book, Lucy Sweeney is a former TV exec who is currently staying home with her three sons, the youngest of whom is in preschool. Somehow Lucy tries to accomplish everything and therefore accomplishes nothing. I totally feel for this character because this is exactly how taking care of children full time is--you try and try and try to wash the dishes and start the laundry and cook the meals while not only watching your kids (i.e. making sure they don't hurt themselves) but trying to engage them and stimulate them, heck, even playing with them, and somehow it seems like you just can't do both. I feel like in this book, Lucy kept going back to the fact that she couldn't do it all, you can't have it all, even though she tried for the sake of appearances to her husband and fellow moms. I perfectly understand her feeling of shame when her husband comes home from work and finds that she hasn't done a single thing on her to-do list, and if only he was there to see all the stuff she had to deal with that day, he would probably understand too, but he doesn't, and therefore she feels guilty.

I have thought for awhile that I am a better mother because I work full time--because I'm not with Addie all the time, I definitely feel our time together in the evenings and on weekends is precious, so I'm willing to let things go (like housework) in favor of playing with her for hours. I also feel like working full time gives some structure to my days, so that entire weeks don't go by without me cleaning the house (or at least they shouldn't...). I feel like because I work full time, I'm contributing to the household income, that my husband can't get mad at me for not always having the dishes clean or the laundry folded the second it comes out of the dryer. I am more efficient with my time at home because I work; I'm prevented from trying to be superMom because I have to work; I'm absolved from guilt (some of it) because I have to work.

Of course, there is all that guilt from not spending more time with my child...

K