Mom Connection

For the past two weeks I have been doing something that I rarely take the time to do - read. I'm not sure why I don't, because every time I take the time to sit and read a good book, I walk away feeling relaxed and refreshed, thinking that I really should take the time to do that more often. 


The book of choice this time was Mom Connection by Tracey Bianchi. At the start of the book, I must admit that I was a little skeptical. It was talking about the chaos of our lives as moms and how we must run here or there all the time. I personally am not on the run all the time, so I wasn't sure how I would relate. Sure, there are times when life gets hectic and chaotic, but my "live simply" philosophy stands to keep those times to a minimum. However, the more I read, the more I liked the book.




Mom Connection likens our lives to spinning a hula hoop. The metaphor is a really good one. Tracey goes on to illustrate all kinds of ways that keeping rhythm in our lives creates lives that are not chaotic and crazy. She offers practical wisdom on how to keep rhythm in all kinds of relationships. . .marriages, extended family, other women, neighbors, and God. 


I personally wanted to learn more about relationships with other women. I haven't had that close "BFF" relationship since high school - with another woman that is. I certainly consider my husband my best, closest, and dearest friend. Friendships with women certainly puzzle me, and this book lays out some great points on how to make those connections as well as keep those connections. It is truthful, straightforward, and made me realize some things I can do to make more connections, since as the book says, "....I'm not exactly a raging extrovert!" 


This book made me feel validated and normal. The scenarios she paints about life as a mom were easy to relate to. There's something about someone being so honest about life that makes you feel normal and okay with your own feelings and short-comings. 


Mom Connection would be a great book for a deeper study. At the end of each chapter there are Five Mom Tested Tips as well as a couple questions for deeper thinking. My favorite thing at the end of each chapter are the references for the books and websites that Tracy made mention to in that chapter.  This is particularly helpful if I want to do more reading on a chapter - like relationships with other women - I can easily access that information to do more reading.


As a MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) Coordinator, I am thrilled that this is the book that we will be studying in our MOPS group next year. It is a great tool for discussion and growing as a mom. Relationships are what life is all about, and if you are looking for a way to improve or deepen any of the relationships in your life, you need to get a copy of this book.