I often have people say to me "I don't know how you do it all" and I want to yell - "I don't." Part of me doesn't want to damage the facade. I mean if they think I have it together why should I give them any other ideas. Then the voice in my head is like - faker! Anyway, when I say the title of this book - I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson - I knew I had to read it!
This book made me laugh and cry. I really identified with the main character Kate and the whole struggle of juggling motherhood, work, marriage, family and friendship. I also like the way she wrote some of the story through emails like this one:

You know that I always say I want to be with my children. Well, I really want to be with my children. Some nights if I get home too late for Emily's bedtime, I go to the laundry basket and smell their clothes. I miss them so much. Never told anyone that before. And then when I am with them, like I am now, their need is just so needy. It's like a whole love affair crammed into one long weekend - passion, kisses, bitter tears, I love you, don't leave me, get me a drink, you like him more than me, take me to bed, you've got lovely hair, cuddle me, I hate you.
Drained & freaked out & need to go back to work soonest for a rest. What kind of mother is afraid of her own children?

This is a quick read that made me feel like I was doing some things right as a parent. Mead-Ferro is a working mom in the big city and speaks of the pressures - sometime self imposed that we feel as mothers in this time. She remembers how her mother raised her - allowing her to run free and experience life - to get messy and skin her knees - to trust her instincts. She feels that we have lost track of our own instincts and that we don't trust ourselves in our parenting. Slacker refers to not over protecting our children and letting them experience life and learn from their falls and failures. The book is funny and a great read!

This is my mummy blog. Why? I need an outlet. Not only to help me keep perspective but to help me laugh as I continue through this journey that is motherhood. I am also a teacher at heart and I think I have things to share that will be helpful to working moms! Why MUMsicle? Sounds fun - I like fun - and my daughter calls me that when we are joking around. Why Musical? It rhymed, I like music and I think it speaks to the chaos of parenthood. So join me! I hope we can have a few laughs, share some stories and fight the good fight!