Sheila Schuller Coleman

While there was a lot of value in this book for any young Christian mother struggling with perfectionism, especially the reassurance that we feel doubt and conflict (which seems to be what the author means by "guilt") not because we are worthless at what we are doing but because we are mothers who do our best, it seemed to me to fall short in two respects.

First, every difficulty she discusses is resolved simply in the course of a few pages. Just like a half-hour sitcom. Does she recognize no problems in a mother's life that cannot be resolved by a simple prayer and a few affirmations? I think I could introduce her to several.

Secondly, the book was intensely personal, drawing on Coleman's experience of "Mommy guilt" and no-one else's. This is exemplified not only by the fact that each chapter revolves around a problem in her own life, but by the fact a huge daily issue that in my experience and my Christian friends' has been our greatest single ongoing source of self-doubt and stress doesn't get a serious mention. The dilemma of education. Public school - and expose the children to false values? Private Christian school - and put the family budget under serious stress, or force the mother to work away from home against her convictions? Homeschool - and possibly not give the children an adequate grounding in the more difficult subjects? Not an issue for Coleman - her children went to a private Christian school where she worked. Nice for her!… (meer)

Remember when you were younger and did not have children yet? Do you remember when you had it 'all figured out'...marriage, finances, motherhood? Then reality set in and all that was believed to be figured out became question marks. Every step you took as a mother was tested and challenged and then it dawned on you: no one has the answers and the child in all of the child-rearing help books did not actually exist. Mommy Grace is about that process and how as mothers we carry the guilt that comes from daily parenting and we make mistakes. We can be 'redeemed, forgiven and loved' daily through Jesus Christ.… (meer)