The Good Mother Myth: Redefining Motherhood to Fit Reality [Paperback]

In an era of mommy blogs, Pinterest, and Facebook,The Good Mother Mythdismantles the social media–fed notion of what it means to be a “good mother.” This collection of essays takes a realistic look at motherhood and provides a platform for real voices and raw stories, each adding to the narrative of motherhood we don’t tend to see in the headlines or on the news.

From tales of mind-bending, panic-inducing overwhelm to a reflection on using weed instead of wine to deal with the terrible twos, the honesty of the essays creates a community of mothers who refuse to feel like they’re in competition with others, or with the notion of the ideal mom—they’re just trying to find a way to make it work. With a foreword by Christy Turlington Burns and a contributor list that includes Jessica Valenti, Sharon Lerner, Soraya Chemaly, Amber Dusick, and many more, this remarkable collection seeks to debunk the myth and offer honest perspectives on what it means to be a mother.

Refreshingly honest, frequently funny, and overall intelligently self-reflective, these voices reassure the anxious and guilt-ridden that 'there is no such thing as a good mother. There is only the good enough mother.'
—Publishers Weekly

Avital Norman Nathmanis a former teacher and lifelong learner turned freelance writer. Her work, which places a feminist lens on a variety of topics, including motherhood, gender, reproductive justice, and reproductive health, has been featured inBitchmagazine,The New York Times, Bamboo Family Magazine, RH Reality Check, CNN, Offbeat Families, HLNtv.com, and more. In addition to her blog, The Mamafesto, Norman Nathman has a regular series, “The Femisphere,” forMs.magazine’s site, as well as a regular feminist parenting column, “Mommie Dearest,” for The Frisky.

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