A Complete Guide for Single Moms: Everything You Need to Know About Raising Healthy, Happy Children on Your Own
Janis Adams
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 SW 6th Ave., Ocala, FL 34471-0640
www.atlantic-pub.com
978-1-60138-397-6, $24.95, 2011
Title of review: An extremely thorough presentation of the aspects of single motherhood, 5 stars
Now more than ever in our present society, it’s completely normal to see single parents taking on the task of raising children on their own. Whether by choice through adoption or surrogacy or by surprise via an unplanned pregnancy, divorce, or death of a partner, the goal remains to successfully nurture the child to adulthood. For those single moms out there that feel alone in their situation and unsure in how to do it all on their own, author Janis Adams has many of those answers in her new book.
“A Complete Guide for Single Moms: Everything You Need to Know About Raising Healthy, Happy Children on Your Own” is an all-inclusive collection of solutions, advice, and support for women finding themselves in the position of ‘mom’, no matter how they got there in the first place. Information is presented from all sides – adoption, divorce, death, etc – and gently guides the parent through a myriad of age groups, issues, gender specific considerations (ie. raising a son vs. a daughter), and much, much more. Most of the suggestions given are not only good common sense practices but applicable to any parent – male or female, single or couple. The book makes me think of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” but with language and various nuances focused on the single mom specifically and gives you much more than just the pregnancy aspects of motherhood.
“A Complete Guide for Single Moms” is a wonderful read for any single mother – or any parent for that matter – struggling to balance life with their newfound role of ‘primary caregiver’. Adams never strays from a consistently high level of empathy and encouragement as she offers one good piece of advice after another. The book starts at a very basic level in order to encompass any and all potential questions so even those new moms that know absolutely nothing about being a parent will find answers and strength within the pages. More experienced moms may find some of the subject matter a little on the rudimentary side but there is still plenty of information that they may have previously not considered and will find to be rather thought provoking. I especially liked Adams’ insistence on mothers maintaining their own health and wellbeing; moms too often forget about themselves in an effort to be a ‘super mom’. This often-ignored advice ensures that you are at your best so you have your best to give. Well done!