I was first introduced to Sally Clarkson via Mission of Motherhood back when Pumpkin was just a baby. It was one of those books you remember always as a turning point. I had worked as a classroom teacher, officer worker, and in sales or customer service ever since I began working as a teen. I was now home with a baby and while I loved it so very much I was already fielding questions about when I would be going back to work.
I had no plans to return, but often found myself without the words to reply in a way that would easily answer the question. I believed that raising Pumpkin was enough and I was done teaching in a classroom.
Reading MoM was wonderful and clarified so many of my thoughts, ideas, and dreams about being a Mother. Sally wrote about both the practical parts of Mothering, but also was inspiring to me with her ideals about it all. I often wondered what her children thought about it all and how my kids would later view their own upbringing.
Plus, how could I not be inspired by someone who also loved tea, beautiful music, candles and general loveliness. :) I had incorporated these things in my classroom and now even more so in my home that I was in throughout the day, not just on the margins of time after work. It was natural to me to share them with Pumpkin and then Dumpling when he was born. No shock that Cupcake also loves it all as well. Tea parties with toddlers, why not?
Years have passed and I have continued to read Sally's books and even attended one of her conferences back when I was pregnant with Cupcake. Recently, I saw a group on Facebook that was working to promote her newest book, The Lifegiving Home, co-authored with her now grown daughter, Sarah. I join in the social media build up, preordered the book and received it in PDF form to read for review before it was published.
Once I had the electronic version downloaded I sat down and read through it one weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed it. While a lot of the material has been shared before in her books and blogs, the focus of this book is on specifically creating a home/family culture and atmosphere where love is grown and shared with the family and everyone else around.
My favorite parts, personally, were the chapters written by Sarah. She has a delightful writing style and paints pictures with her words. Her perspective of being raised in such a home mean a lot to me. It renewed my hope in how Sweetheart and I are raising our kids.
This is a book I highly recommend. Now that it has been published (and it got to the top 100 books sold on Amazon the first week!) I have my own paper copy. I can't wait to reread it slowly, take notes, and be inspired all over again. I even just love the cover. Isn't it lovely? It makes me smile to see it on my little table next to my reading chair, just waiting for me to pour my own cuppa tea, light my candle and read.
Have any of you read it yet?
Disclaimer: My views are my own and I did not receive anything for reviewing the book.
2 comments:
This is a new author to me. Even tho I am a great-grandmother, I will be looking to read these books. Much of what you mention in this post is reflected in the way I made sure my children grew up. Now I am having tea parties with the current generation of little ones and loving every minute.
My daughter and I agree that the best chapters were written by Sarah. But we won't tell anyone. ;)
Post a Comment