Review: M.O.M (Mom Operating Manual)

I was sent a copy of a new book called M.O.M. last week. I took a look at the cover with the image of superwoman in a box being passed from one child to another and decided that it was reading material for my 6 year-old son and I.  So we sat down on the floor and started to read.

Very quickly, I realized this was actually a book for me, not him.  On page 3, when I read that moms are the “the most advanced human models on the planet,” I thought, “hmmm….kid’s book?  I kind of got the idea on page 6 when the book started talking about signs of wear and tear on a mom and how it shows up in our clothes, skin and hair.  The first picture is of a “reasonably alert and attentive mom” (fortunately, that is the image my son chose that was closest to me).  She is nicely dressed and pretty organized looking (phew!).  The second picture is of a “pleasant yet fried around the edges mom” (which is normally how I feel, even if my looks don’t reflect it – phew!).  The third image is of a “barely upright but still functioning mom” – the image of the woman has fried hair, burning clothes, garbage on the floor and is considered to be a “cause for alarm”.

OK, I said to myself, this book was written for me, not my kids!

I was lucky to be at an event this week where the authors, Doreen Cronin and Laura Cornell, were invited to speak about the book.  They are two women who have been writing books for years and have clearly done their research, based on personal experience, obviously.

The book is meant to teach optimal performance, and it gives tips to avoid the most precarious mother-related situations teaching the reader imperatives like: how moms should be fed (and how often), why moms need more than one inch of space on a bed (hey, you, you have your own bed, get back in it!), and what to do if mom’s mad face ranks a 10 on the Mad Face Scale.

Needless to say, as a mom who is not ready to give up sushi for hot dogs, I related to much of this book.  The authors are making fun of situations that may not seem funny to us moms a lot of the time, but if you think about it, clearly these situations ARE funny and we need to laugh.

For example, it says that moms need sleep.  “Remarkably, despite their size, moms can sleep on as little as three inches of bed.  Science has no explanation for this.  Your mom is NOT getting enough sleep if:

1. She has packed you a lunch of unsweetened cocoa and a raw egg.

2. She has crawled into the trunk of the car.

3. She is trying to lick the bottom of her coffee cup.”

Yes, I have nearly committed #1, wanted to commit #2 and definitely committed #2…daily!

Moms need to run freely for a few minutes each day.  “Ideally, this will not include:

1. Running behind the school bus because you forgot your lunch/homework/shoes/sister or ….

2. Running after the dog because he is eating your lunch/homework/shoes/sister.”

 

You get the picture.  There is a lot to relate to in this book, and like the world of blogging that I have embraced the women I have met around the world who are more like me than the woman I meet at the school playground, this book helped me realize that I am not alone.  Motherhood is not easy, but you just gotta laugh about it sometimes.

You can buy this book now on Amazon for $11.55 (retail price is $16.99).  It will make a great gift for you, a friend or even your own mother.

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of this book by Simon and Schuster to facilitate this review but all opinions are my own.  The event that I attended was hosted by the Buzzing Bloggers.