New on Mojo Mom's bookshelf...

Interesting books are coming out faster than I can keep up with! This week I am hoping to complete The Motherhood Manifesto: What America's Moms Want by Joan Blades and Kristen Rowe-Finkbeiner. I feel hopeful that this is the book I've been hoping that someone would write--an actionable plan to move forward on motherhood-related issues, now that we've opened our eyes to the challenges. Rowe-Finkbeiner is the author of The F Word: Feminism in Jeopardy and Blades is the co-founder of MoveOn.org. I'll see if I can get one of them to come discuss their work on The Mojo Mom Podcast.

Next on my reading list is Queen Bee Moms & Kingpin Dads, by Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees & Wannabees. I am interested in learning more about the ways that parents play into the dynamics between kids, coaches, and teachers. From talking to teacher friends, I get the sense that parents have gotten out of control since I last taught high school 7 years ago. How can we act in more positive ways to help our kids grow into responsible, accountable adult?

Finally, I had the pleasure of hearing Benjamin Zander speak in person last week at UNC Chapel Hill. What a treat! His message inspiring us to turn away from "downward spiral" thinking toward a vision of possibility was the best talk I could hear at this point in my life. I won't try to recreate his talk here, but I give my highest recommendation to The Art of Possibility, the book he co-authored with his wife Rosamund Stone Zander. I feel that at my best, my work with Mojo Mom resonates with the same truth that the Zanders illuminate.