Will you be there soon? Are you there now? How long have you been there? When did you land? You know what I’m talking about . . . Planet Mom. It’s an entirely new world. Foreign. Frightening. Frantic! But as you may already know, it can also be a lot of fun!
Life on Planet Mom by Lisa Tawn Bergren was fun to read. As a mom, and as a Christian, I appreciated how Bergren drew attention to all aspects of our changing relationships once we enter motherhood—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. I have found that motherhood has truly transformed me in more ways I could imagine, and it was refreshing, and validating, to read her insight on that.
Now, I enjoyed reading this book-o-wisdom while I walked on the treadmill at the gym, because that’s the only spare time I had, naturally. I found myself eagerly anticipating the treadmill—not normal—because I wanted to read more of this book. I am a mother of three kids, and hoping to adopt a fourth in the near future. I am busy. I am very busy. I worry about this, that, and the other thing when it comes to my children . . . and I worry about this, that, and the other thing when it comes to my husband, extended family, friends, work. Oh yeah, and then there’s myself. I think about myself from time to time, too.
And so Life on Planet Mom seemed to speak to me. As I read, I kept wondering how much this book could have helped me when our first child was born. Perhaps I would have dealt with certain issues and relationships differently. Perhaps I would have just been that much more aware.
The beauty of Bergren’s words is that she writes in layers. She uses humor to help us feel comfortable digging deeper. See, there’s Life on Planet Mom, the book. And there’s life on planet Mom . . . the real deal. When you are in the trenches, it feels overwhelming. And so her fun and relaxed humor really allowed me to breathe a little, not take everything so seriously, but then actually feel empowered to change what I needed to in order to have greater peace and balance on planet Mom. It’s as if the gravity is just enough to keep me in place and allow me to decide on my own when to step forward, move back, or shuffle to the side. I’ve certainly read other parenting books and I walked away feeling like trash! I don’t like those books. Those books have made me feel that planet Mom is scary and isolating. While Life on Planet Mom encouraged me and helped me realize that I’m surrounded by so many who are doing the same thing. I felt empowered and strong. Yes, I have an itemized list of things I’d like to work on, but I don’t feel like a loser mom. And that’s always a good thing.
Read the book alone, or read it with a group of friends. No matter who you approach it, it’s right . . . though she does encourage you to have a group of friends to chat about each chapter with. The group? Mamas of the Round Table. My weekly play group was a great place to sit and chat while our kids ate sand.
Pick up the book and read it. But most of all, know that it’s okay that relationships and life shifts when you land on planet Mom. It takes some adjustment, but you can balance it and make it work. And when you struggle, we’re all here to help . . . surrounding you in your family, at church, at your child’s school, at the playground. We’re all doing it together.
