If you’re a mom, don’t sweat the seemingly endless to-do list of changing diapers, cooking, and driving to soccer practices. Instead, pick up one of these must-reads for a morale boost. From tip-based memoirs to hilarious yet all-too-familiar accounts, here are 10 books every mom should read.
Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
Rachel Hollis, Founder and CEO of Chic Media, talks balancing work and motherhood. Hollis breaks through the ideas of what a “good” mom should look like and encourages women to parent in whatever way works for them. Through sharing her own blunders, mishaps, and funny moments with her four kids, Hollis gives you permission to take off the pressure of being a “perfect” mom.
You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
Sincero offers advice on how to love the things about yourself that you can’t change. Her inspirational anecdotes and real-life exercises mixed in with a few bad words will give you a much-needed pep in your step.
The Gift of an Ordinary Day by Katrina Kenison
As a child transitions into adolescence, it can also be a liminal moment for a mom. In this book, Kenison explores her doubts and questions about her own life as her son gets older. Her vulnerable account is a reminder to all moms that motherhood is incredible and that moms are the masters of turning the ordinary into something extraordinary.
Out of the Spin Cycle by Jen Hatmaker
Hatmaker knows what moms are up against — endless worries, priorities, finances, and the toxic cycle of comparison. In the midst of all the chaos, Hatmaker encourages moms to show themselves grace.
No More Perfect Moms by Jill Savage
Motherhood is messy, plain, and simple. Savage implores all moms to love their real and imperfect lives and challenges unrealistic expectations, replacing it with realistic hopes.
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Auggie, a pre-teen with severe facial deformities, starts middle school at the prodding of his mother. This moving story’s portrayal of social acceptance and the power of family will remind you of the joys of motherhood.
A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan
What happens when life hits you hard and makes you question yourself? Egan explores this idea in a fictional way as Alice Pearse, a mother of three, takes the leap to pursue her professional goals.
Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
This best-selling novel by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg is an ode to successful women looking to redefine their goals. She offers practical advice for success in your career including negotiation techniques and combines personal anecdotes with research to show that men can benefit from supporting women both in the workplace and at home.
I Don’t Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson
This fictional novel follows Kate Reddy, successful wife, mom, and hedge-fund manager. When life becomes overwhelming, Reddy realizes she may have lost herself. This “anthem for working women” is the remedy for any mom struggling to balance it all.
Maxed Out: American Moms on the Brink by Katrina Alcorn
In Alcorn’s autobiography, she uses her experience balancing family, kids, and a career, to offer advice on how to manage the demands of it all.
xx, The FabFitFun Team
