Brave Mom: Facing and Overcoming Your Real Mom Fears (book review)

Fear, at the appropriate moment, is a good thing. However, sometimes we let our fears about our children dominate our lives and we can wind up spending much of our time worrying about things that are not likely to happen.

What mom doesn't battle fear at some point:
*  Can I handle being a mom?
*  Is my toddler always going to have behavior problems?
*  Will my child be safe?
*  Will my teenager go astray?
*  Will my adult child succeed?

Sherry Surratt, President and CEO of MOPS International, addresses these fears--and more--in her book Brave Mom: Facing and Overcoming Your Real Mom Fears.

Surratt reveals the havoc that fear, anxiety, and perfectionism can play in our lives. She has us examine some common safety-related fears to see how reasonable and probable they are. She specifically addresses the fears that accompany the life stages of being a mom. Then she addresses how we can face and manage our fears and not only become brave moms, but raise brave children as well.

Surratt loads Brave Mom with anecdotes and advice that is based in faith and common sense. In the tradition of MOPS-related books, it's filled with practical, down-to-earth advice that most women can relate to.  My children are school-aged, but I remember having some of those early fears (that never came to fruition) and I eagerly read the section on teenagers, since that's the stage that's on the horizon.  I feel encouraged by her words and by the words of other women whose contributions Surratt included in this book.

Brief chapters, questions and answers, and end of chapter reflection/discussion questions make this ideal for a mom's group.  Highly recommended!

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in return for an honest review.

Brave Mom: Facing and Overcoming Your Real Mom Fears
Sherry Surratt
Zondervan, 2014