I had the privilege of reviewing the book Momumental, Adventures in the Messy Art of Raising a Family by Jennifer Grant.

Jennifer keeps it real in this book and shares about her personal adventures of raising four children, in our modern culture.  I related so much with her struggles as a mother to protect her children from societal influences.  Also, I related to her struggle to be an ideal mom.

The “ideal” mother is one that we all wish we had or wish we could be.

Jennifer shares candidly how she struggled for years to “measure up” and be this figurative supermom for her children and her mommy friends.  Instead of trying to live up to this unrealistic standard, she decided to quit looking for others for approval, and simply be REAL!

This includes choosing her battles with her kids.  She reminds herself that these kids are little people, with sensitive hearts and she is responsible for how these hearts are shaped. She continually ponders what her family is about, asking herself  what is our mission?

Jennifer talks a lot in the book about being intentional.  She is a mom who wears a lot of hats, including being a writer, blogger, wife and mother.  She chooses her time wisely and spends quality time with her family.  Family meetings are an effective tool she incorporated when her husband was travelling for work.  When her children were very young, she established meetings to allow them to give input on how they would like to make changes.  These family meetings became a tradition and proved invaluable at empowering each family member to make significant contributions.

Remembering that each child is different is essential in raising a family.  We will be required to adjust ourselves and our interactions for each child in our home.

Another important mechanism in raising healthy and happy kids is eating meals together.

Eat dinner.org says:

Families who often eat together are likely to have healthier diets, consume more fruits and vegetables and feel more satisfied and connected in their relationships.

Connection with our children is the most important element in their lives.

“Being connected with them sets our kids up – for a life of healthy connection with others and with the God who created them and who is even more smitten with them than we are.”

You can order the book on Amazon or Barnes and Nobles! Click the link here: http://worthypublishing.com/books/MOMumental/