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Member Reviews
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Thank you so much to the publisher for an advance phsycial copy & netgalley for an advance audio copy.
I adore Gwenna on tiktok and she narrates this book! I love that she kept making a huge point that YOU are the expert on YOUR child. The book is funny but helpful. I loved it.
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Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audio of Momma Cusses. While I am a parent of an 8 and 12 year old, there were still many things that resonated with me in this book. If any of these resonate with you, I highly recommend you read or listen to this book. Gwenna Laithland is relatable and honest. As I was listening, I felt like I was having a conversation with a friend.
These are the things that resonated with me:
* Our job is to parent ourselves out of a job.
* No amount of perfection will ever be enough. That is the problem with perfection.
* Messing up around our kids is a teachable moment.
* Show kids how to apologize by apologizing.
* Don't seek perfection, just improvement.
* Mom guilt is useful. It makes us more aware of our tone and actions.
* I"m sorry is an important thing to say to our children.
* We have to let kids learn how to fail safely.
* Taking care of yourself is taking care of your kids.
I love parent mantra:
I'm not a perfect parent and that's ok. I'm doing my best and that's enough. I am learning how to be a parent just like my kid is learning how to be a person.
Quotes subject to change upon publication. If any of these things resonates with you or you relate to them, learn more by reading or listening to this book upon the audio release on March 5, 2024.
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Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC copy of this book. I am in no way affiliated with or compensated in any way for my review. Everything I write is my own personal opinion- thoughts and feelings.
WOW!!! This was the best unofficial parenting book I have read! This book reads like youre actually sitting next to Gwenna. She has no issues telling it how it is. I am a pretty seasoned mom- I have four kids ranging in ages of young elementary school age to adult kids in thier mid twenties. This book resonates with me on so many levels- Gwenna just gets it. I can see how this book will help mommas/parents who are just starting their journey.
I absolutely love this book. its a must read/listen to.
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This book is real and raw! The honesty is this book is so refreshing, having the forward done by her daughter was such a nice touch and gave me hope for the way my husband and I are working with our kids. I know not all of these things will work for us but I also know I can take this advice and tweak it to fit each of my children’s needs in the way that works best for them. I will be recommending this book to all of the parents or soon to be parents that I know!
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Thank you NetGalley and Gwenna Laithland for the opportunity to listen to this book. I follow her on tiktok and was excited when I saw the audiobook was available to listen to. Gwenna is down to earth and gives usable and relatable advice/ideas in her book. The fact that the author narrates the book makes it that much better. I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to all my friends who are parents.
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After starting this audiobook, I realized I was a follower of the author/narrator when I had a TikTok account! I enjoyed her content then and I loved her book now. I love that she is not judgey and an actual “real” mom, not a “perfect” one. She is hilarious and I highly recommend this one!
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Already read the ebook version of this and absolutely loved it! But, I’m a sucker for non-fiction audiobooks where it’s actual author reading to you. I love that you could hear the emotion and humor in Gwenna’s voice throughout the audiobook and it made me feel so much more connected. Would absolutely recommend this parenting book that’s not a parenting book to anyone with littles.
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This book was funny! Full of real life situations and "wow that sounds like my kid" examples, I found Gwenna so relatable. I cuss, I yell, I hate mommy vlogs, blogs or groups. Gwenna tho. She I get.
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I have been a fan of Gwenna for a long time now via TikTok. I love that she tied in her own personal accounts but didn't tell these super embarrassing stories of her kids. She tackles gentle parenting in a way that feels realistic and attainable.
She also makes a fantastic narrator. She really helps bring her book to life.
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I've been a big Gwenna fan for a long time. We're roughly the same age. And I value her opinion. Deconstructing how we were raised and being more intentional with our parenting is a huge step. This book is both funny and helpful! It doesn't talk down to you or make you feel dumb, but it is really realistic and honest.
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Momma Cusses, written by Gwenna Laithland, is a guidebook to responsive parenting. I feel like I need to preface this review by stating that I am not the target audience for this book (I am not a parent,) but I have really enjoyed learning from Gwenna’s TikToks, and I do work in a preschool setting, so I felt like I could still learn from this book! And I definitely did! I really appreciated the different coregulating tips that were included, as well as personal stories that were shared throughout. Thank you to NetGalley, and the author and publisher of this book, for an ALC in exchange for an unbiased review.
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Oh. My. Heart. This audiobook brought LIFE to this book. The book in general was amazing and exactly what my mom heart needed to hear, but to have it narrated by Gwenna feels like a hug from a mom friend.
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I followed Gwenna in the early days of her tiktok account and was mutuals before she got big. I always liked her down to earth “real talk” gentle parenting style so was interested to see what she would include in a parenting book.
I hate self help books generally, they are dry and boring and pretentious. But Gwenna’s book is much like her - funny and relatable and valid. I laughed a lot, learned a few things, and generally really enjoyed reading it, which is more than I can say of any other parenting book I’ve ever read.
For anyone who is deep into their gentle parenting journey, there won’t be a whole lot new here, nothing you don’t already know. But there will be some helpful tips and some connections you maybe hadn’t made yet. If someone was new to gentle parenting or didn’t agree with the concept but wanted to know more, this is absolutely the book I would recommend.
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I haven't seen Gwenna on TikTok, so I didn't know what to expect with this one. Gwenna proved to be hilarious and informative. I think this book would be great for first time parents, especially going into the toddler phase.
Her list on nicknames for the kids are so spot on - Microscopic Swim Meet Champion, Evicted Parasite 😂 😂 She does provide valuable insight for parenting - like give your child the time that it is needed to complete a milestone, instead of the time it is expected, but with a relaxed and funny vibe.
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I’m a huge fan of the Momma Cusses tiktok and was excited to read this. Other than wishing she didn’t shy away from the gentle parenting title, if only to more widely educate about the realities of the style, I love this book.
A huge part of parenting is managing your own feelings and actions and she hits on that perfectly.
And it’s also just dang funny.
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Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Gwenna is not only an AMAZING author, but her narrating is PERFECT. She's funny, doesn't sound preachy, and I love the little extra tid bits she throws in since she's narrating and you're not reading. It was such a fun experience to listen to!
This was AWESOME! I am not someone that enjoys parenting books - I would rather find an article or talk to someone than sit and read a whole parenting book....and I say this as an avid reader! They often come off preachy or outdated...neither is an issue with this one. Gwenna Laithland is hilarious and never claims to be an expert, just a parent that has done this for a while and made a lot of mistakes and made a lot of changes to address those mistakes....her writing is approachable and relevant and I promise you every human, parent and otherwise, can take something from this book.
My favorite part: the book doesn't take itself too seriously, but makes sure the highlight the "hey, this part is really important so let's cut the jokes for 30 seconds" portions. Plus, she acknowledges "hey, this concept is important and this is how we address it - but it might not work for you and that's okay! But maybe this can spark your own ideas?" a lot - no two people or families are the same.
I also love how applicable everything is to the general human experience - yes the focus is parenting and as a mom of a toddler I LOVED it for that. But, I'm also a flawed human and a lot of the concepts and techniques discussed in this book are just good practice for me too.
Honestly this is a great parenting book - but it's also just a great book for humans to read and reflect on. Tiny humans have the most to learn about being a person, but we're all learning new things and new ways to exist as we grow and change....and this book has a lot of things that can help with that.
I can't recommend this highly enough - go check it out!
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As someone with “alphabet soup” (as Gwenna calls it) after my name I recommend this book. Yes, professionals have their time and place for having detailed opinions about child raising but children are raised by humans not credentials. When you have someone that approaches the idea of child raising in an approachable way with mutual respect and empathy it’s important to listen.
I adored the quick snapshots at the end of each chapter labeled “Too long, didn’t read.” It makes this more accessible to those that may struggle with retention, attention, etc. I also adore that her daughter was the individual to write her introduction. I have already verbally recommended to a few coworkers when this comes out and preordered a physical copy for myself.
Notable quote I cheered at upon hearing:
“If you aren’t emotionally regulated, it feels kind of bold to expect that of your kid. You’re not expecting perfection, just improvement.”
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Momma Cusses: A Field Guide to Responsive Parenting & Trying Not to Be the Reason Your Kid Needs Therapy by Gwenna Laithland is a delight of a parenting book. Laithland starts by stating that she is not a parenting expert, and that her advice might not work for every family. She gives some great ideas for dealing with less than desirable behaviors, encourages parents to keep trying their best, and my favorite-constantly reminds us that there are no parenting experts. As the author says, “kids are bad at peopling” and “we are trying to parent ourselves out of a job”. Two statements that are true, and easily forgotten.
The author does an excellent job of explaining concepts many of us are familiar with in an easy to understand way. The humor and personal stories throughout the book are an added gem. This is the sort of parenting book that is encouraging and helpful, and won’t make you feel like a complete failure.
I will note that (as may be expected from the title) there is a lot of cussing. Personally, it was too much for me. I know a few friends who would probably enjoy and benefit from this book, but will likely never pick it up because of the language. However, as the author is well known on the internet as “Momma Cusses” and does allow that language in her home, I’m not going to be upset that her book contains such language. You know what to expect, and if you don’t get distracted by the language there is some great advice to be found.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for letting me listen to this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
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I'm probably going to follow this author on social media now because of her unique, positive approach to life. My child is grown, but this book sounded funny. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The situations and advice in the book were highly practical, but what made the advice so good was the attitude behind it. Of course parents can make mistakes, but Gwenna Laithland encourages parents to trust themselves. Putting this positive spin on real situations could actually help parents who are having a hard time.
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Release Date: March 5, 2024
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There are lots of experts out there who will tell you they have the magic recipe to raising perfect humans. Gwenna Laithland is not one of them. In Momma Cusses, Gwenna uses her signature style of snark and sarcasm to explain her interpretation of responsive parenting vs. reactive parenting and outline the steps she takes to raise her kids. T ackling some of the hilarious yet all-too-real scenarios Gwenna outlines in her book, including:
YOU WILL LOSE YOUR SH*T:
Mom guilt vs. mom shame
ARE YOU YELLING OR ARE YOU JUST BEING LOUD?:
Get in control of your emotions
THE BIG FEELS LOOP-DE-LOO:
Get in control of their emotions. Accessible, digestible, and rooted in reality, Momma Cusses helps readers with navigating family dynamics and cultivating emotional resilience for everyone.
I have insane mom guilt. I constantly feel like I’m failing as a mother. This book discusses the concept of mom guilt as well as how to deal with it. While one does have mom guilt, but we should not let that keep us from changing and doing better the next time, but sometimes we should be the one in time out and not the kids. The author uses relatable and HILARIOUS stories (the eggnog story had me in tears) to showcase her points of parenting. Her version of parent may not work for everyone but we can take bits from this and try with our own families, and learn from her experiences and adapt them into our own to help from being the reasons our children need therapy.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
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