I’m so excited! We’ve been working on something for you for the past few months and it’s finally ready! You’ll find it at www.NoMorePerfectMoms.com!
This is the online headquarters for the No More Perfect Moms book that will be out in February. But it’s even more than that!
We’ll be adding additional elements to the website in the coming months, but there are a two parts of the site I want you to know about now!
First, there’s the 31 Day No More Perfect Moms email challenge. Sign up today to receive an easy to read, but power packed daily challenge in your inbox during the month of January. It will be a great way to start the new year!
Second, there’s the “Don’t buy this book now” information. I do want to put the book in your hands…but I want you to get more than just the book! Here is where you’ll find out the benefits of waiting to order the book the week it releases!
Once you’ve signed up for those two things, wander around and find some of the other elements. There’s a place to read true stories of other imperfect moms and for you to share your own No More Perfect Mom story! There’s also a page that will feature the videos we filmed last week. They will be free along with a leader’s guide and additional resources!
To celebrate the Grand Opening of the No More Perfect Moms website, I’m giving away four more opportunities to be a pre-reader of the book! Simply leave a comment and share how you are an imperfect mom to enter the drawing! I’ll announce the winners on Wednesday!
I sometimes get frustrated with my kids and say things I shouldn’t say. I’m learning to take a step back in those moments and pray for wisdom before I speak.
Jill,
I am so excited for this book to come out! I know it will be such an encouragement to many!
So on to my imperfections….you only wanted one right? 🙂 I would say the one that comes to mind first is losing my temper. My daughter is almost 20 months old and at the glorious testing everything stage….”stay right there” (she then proceeds to run the other way), “don’t put your hands in the toilet” (I turn my back…and hear splash splash splash). You know the age 🙂 It’s humbling though after I raise my voice too much, to “talk” with her, and apologize. God grows us in such significant ways throughout different seasons in our lives. I must say, that motherhood seems to have grown me in leaps and bounds due to the increased # of mistakes I’ve made since being one 🙂
Oh, I so feel like the most imperfect mom on the planet. You see, I am the mom to three special needs children, which means we have a lot — I mean, A LOT!!! — of appointments. It’s a good thing that I do not have a job outside of the house, because I would never be there. This month, I have 35 — that is right — 35 doctor’s appointments, therapy appointments, IEP testing sessions and/or meetings scheduled. By the time the end of the day rolls around I am absolutely exhausted — spent — done for — stick a fork in me, I am done! (And this is only with two of my kids in the house right now because our daughter is in a residential treatment center.) Even though I know some of the issues that my children exhibit in the evenings are related to their special needs, there are some days that I am just so exhausted that I end up having a meltdown right along side of them! I hate myself for that!!!!
My house is always a cluttered mess because I do not have the energy to get anything done after the kids go to bed.
I would love to read this book — and soon!!!!
Every morning that my girls wake up and come downstairs, I sigh. It feels like my morning ends when they wake up. My husband, on the other hand, greets them with a huge smile and a happy “good morning”! I need to quit feeling like my children are interruptions and thank God for the blessing they are.
Congrats, Jill! You will help so many moms lose the guilt! Not one of us is perfect. I would love a book, but after reading Cassandra’s comments, she really deserves the book.
I am not a perfect mom, but I am so thankful that I have a perfect Father who forgives and restores me when I make mistakes.
My house is also in such a mess from having our twin boys toys scattered everywhere. I think that they multiply at night.
This book seems like it will speak to so many moms, including myself.
My imperfections often go back to my productivity-minded ways and I get caught up in a task and don’t savor the moments playing, reading, listening and BEING with my kids. I’m trying to address this by “working” when they’re at school or napping so I can be more present with them. I also am quick to react emotionally.
I would love to get a copy of this book. I am definitely an Imperfect Mother. My son is 2 and even though he is very smart I still slack in the mommy department. One of my biggest downfalls as a mom is the amount of technology I allow my son to use. He love a cell phone and even has his own Blackberry with no service. He spends multiple hours a day watching TV, he would prefer to use the laptop but I won’t let him mess it up. He turns on my XBox and tries to play video games. I allow it, but I always find myself second guessing if I should let him. How can I say no to that cute face?
I feel so far from being that perfect Mom or even anything close to being like my own Mom. The media keeps us thinking that we should be doing so much more. I feel like a newbie in my faith, so how can I be qualified to instruct my daughter in her faith. Thank you for your wonderful, honest ministry. It is so needed! The book sounds great, can’t wait until it comes out. It’s already on my Amazon wish list.
Christine
I am far from perfect. I haven’t cleaned out my car in over a year. Scared to know what’s back there.
I am definitely not a perfect mom. I find myself focusing on what I feel like I “should” be doing … comparing myself to my friends (who are mothers) and finding myself measuring up short. I need to recognize that God has given me this privilege to be a mom … and ask Him for the strength, wisdom, and abilities to be the mom that my boys need me to be.
I can’t hardly wait for this book! Imperfect…hard to pick just one…major issue I’m currently focused on is my house…I am a stay at home mom w three school age boys and still can’t figure out how to keep my house ready to welcome people in, instead of hoping noone stops by…
I am an imperfect mom because I prioritize tasks over people. Even though I am trying to accomplish all these tasks a “great mom” should to give my kids everything I want for them, I often overlook that they just want to be with me. I know this comes from growing up with a physically and emotionally distant mother. It has been hard to learn that sometimes NOT doing homework or getting to school on time or eating veggies or brushing teeth is okay, and the other stuff we did instead was worth it.
The day of the week that my imperfections seem to rise to the top more than any other is… you guessed it… Sunday! (Sunday morning to be more exact.) I was just telling my husband last weekend something to the tune of, “I hate who I am on Sundays. In the mornings I am a wild woman, barking at everyone, rushing around, trying to find matching socks for every kid and then I get to church and have to instantly turn on ‘middle school class teacher face’. Then we move into main service where we spend our entire worship in song time trying to make sure our kids (twin preschoolers and a kindergartner) are singing and praying and behaving (in other words, I rarely am focused on the words I’m singing or Who I’m singing to). By the time we get to the sermon and our kids go to children’s church, I wilt and am just not in the most teachable mode.” And I know that I’m not the only mom out there who deals with this. But it’s still a very real and consistent struggle.
I’m so excited for this book…. there are lots of imperfections from me. The first that comes to mind is my lack of patience during the nightly “homework battle”!
I live in a “perfect” town with plenty of “perfect” moms to compare myself to, even though I know I shouldn’t. The website itself is a blessing and I promise to share my book with the friend who led me here.
How am I an imperfect mom? Well, I’m letting myself be completely distracted by the internet while I should be supervising my boys’ snack time… ahem, excuse me… (must be going now…)
I am so imperfect that I wrote a MOPS talk about it called “No Mommy’s Perfect.”
I wish the book was coming out one month sooner – I’m giving the talk in Naperville on January 11. This past weekend, at the Minnesota HAH Conference, I got enough “I’m an imperfect mom” buttons to pass out to each woman at the talk. If you have any more promotional items you’d like me to distribute, please let me know!
Hmmm….I think the one (of many) things is not giving my children the time they need. I feel like I often put my “to do” list in front of them & by the time I am ready to work/be with them, I have no energy left. 🙁
My imperfect mom stories could fill volumes, and I only have one 2 year old. My worst is that I am NOT a morning person and so I am so short and impatient with my little one in the morning. I cringe everyday when I realize she is really doing nothing wrong, but my tone tells her differently!!! Thankful my perfect Father in Heaven forgives me over and again!
Jill,
I’m so excited to read this! Hearing about others’ imperfect mommy moments helps me keep all in perspective. Daily, I make mistakes and daily, I laugh at myself and pray to God how thankful I am to mess up, because it means I have little people in my house 🙂 One example of my own imperfect mommy moments (there are thousands!) to help others keep in perspective: my twins are 7 and after “training” them in the proper way to shower(getting all the nooks and crannies cleaned) and winning a battle for independence as I have our 3rd on the way….I realized 3 WEEKS LATER, that my children had been showering with the dog shampoo. Didn’t cover that in the tutorial 🙂 Imperfect moms make for funny, nobody has fleas kind of memories!
I think of it like this – you know when you go to someone’s house and everything is in order and clean (perfect)? I don’t feel comfortable in a house like that. I feel like I don’t measure up, like I can’t let me shortcomings be known because the woman who lives there is able to keep it all together better than me. It is much more inviting when I walk into someone’s house and it’s not perfect. Makes me feel like I’m not the only one who isn’t perfect. That’s how God can use us, not when we’re unapproachable. If the church could be real, we would be amazed at what God would do through us.
I have so many stories, it’s hard to find 1 or 2 stories to narrow down about being an imperfect mom. First, I’m a preschool teacher and at the end of the day my patience is not the best with my own children. After their fighting with each other and not following directions, I handled things poorly and had a bad choice of words. My daughter’s response to me was, “Do you speak to your students like that?” AAAH- good grief- I certainly would not have. 🙁
Second, our family has a history of dry scalp and my daughter was complaining to me for about 1 week about her head itching. Assuring her it was the dry scalp acting up because of the cold weather, I thought nothing else of it until…… seeing bugs crawling thru her hair one night at dinner!AAAAH- lice!!!
I’m excited about the book and helping set my expectations where they should be. I’m also executives to see the videos and see how they ended up and if our fake talking looks realistic. 🙂
I am one tired mom who is not perfect, over and over,I have mom regrets impatience, easy ways out when I should build character…
I’m full of imperfections. My strong willed child challenges me everyday. There are times when she’s crying and fussing for the 100th time, I ignore her. There are times in the midst of what seems so parallel to The Boy Who Cried Wolf, I realize she’s not fussing because she’s fussing but rather because she actually needs something or is injured or simply needs a hug. The guilt is intense in those moments and I know I’m not perfect. Can’t wait for this book!
Nothing has made me feel more imperfect than when my little man broke his arm, and I didn’t believe that he was actually hurt, and therefore held off on taking him to the doctor until the next day. Nothing like the guilt you feel when the doctor comes back and says, “This happened yesterday? Why didn’t you bring him in sooner?” Well, because I’m not perfect.
As a mom of 4 boys, the oldest 17 – there are so many stories of being imperfect! Things said that shouldn’t have been, things forgotten, or not forgotten easily, lack of consequences, too strict of consequences, poor parental choices….
But, with my youngest being 5 – there is still room for improvement!
I would love to read this book not only to help me with my “imperfections” but also to give a review on my blog for my readers who are also imperfect! Reading through the comments above, I see myself in almost every one. Impatient, grumpy, tired, trying to keep my head above the proverbial water. And I only have one son! And no foster kids at the moment! Grace, ladies. We all need grace. And we can know the Giver of grace, and His love and acceptance. RUN to Him!! =)
Back about four years ago, our world was SO chaotic, with our oldest (then 6) out of control most of the time, throwing, hitting, screaming, being mean to his siblings, wrecking things, etc., multiple times on a daily basis. I was TRYING to homeschool him around the behavior(s) and also take care of my 4- and 2-year olds. One day, in the midst of the screaming (and crying of the others), I yelled, “Maybe I’m not the one who should be taking care of you! Maybe someone else needs to take care of you!” I was thinking daycare so I could stay at home in peace, but my sweet little 4-year old son looked up at me, very seriously, and said, “Would we go to assisted living?” (They go with me once a month to the nursing home where I play piano for their worship service.) His statement stopped me in my tracks, and I didn’t know what to say! Things didn’t get better for two more years, but yes, I did keep my little ones with me. 🙂 Thanks for writing the book!
I am so not a perfect mom…
Somewhere along the way, I bought into the belief that I was supposed to be the best at everything I did… not just the best, but perfect. This belief has kept me from doing many things… stopped me dead in my tracks! Becoming a mom has been a life changing experience for me… I can’t quit being a mom like I could quit a job. I can’t walk away from my kids when I am frustrated, angry, short on patience like I can walk away from other people in my life. I am a mom and I am not perfect… I get angry over spilled milk, I yell, I cry, I blame others, I leave the laundry for another day, I serve hotdogs and Kraft Dinner more often than I’d like to admit, I hate sticking to a budget, I’m not organized, I hate planning… but… I do love God, I love Jesus, I love my husband, I love my kids and I love my friends and family. And I’m learning that my job is to love God and love others the best that I can… not ‘The Best’ or Perfect… just my best.
Today’s challenge – they 6yo who woke up hungry and was frumpy at everything he was asked to help with. So hard not to yell and scream to get him to do things SO MUCH harder to step over him and ignore until he could use his words again.
I will be beginning a small group tonight studying this book. I am so excited to learn to let go of my ideal and be happy with the life that God has given me. Of course, we can improve, but being content brings much peace!
Sarah, I’m so glad you’ll be using the book! Make sure you check out all the free videos and resources at NoMorePerfect.com!
Hi Jill, just wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed your book. “Replace criticism with grace” is my New Year mantra, especially toward myself. It has lightened me up to better give grace to others. (I’m sure my husband thanks you.) I love how you organized/named the chapters, and the perfection infection/antidote idea – well done! Thank you!