Stay Home, Stay Happy!

I just finished reading Stay Home, Stay Happy: 10 Secrets to Loving At-Home Motherhood by Rachel Campos-Duffy.  Most books I have seen about "surviving" staying at home have been over-the-top and not at all practical for my family, but this one really delivers, and I can see myself reading this book again and again over the years!    This book is full of great ideas (my husband and I can't wait to try the "knock on the door" approach to discipline), inspirational passages, and great tools (I'm a huge fan of her lists)!  It is not at all about "surviving", but about enjoying staying at home!


A theme that repeats throughout the book is that you have to take care of you before you can be happy taking care of anyone else.  I know that is something that makes you want to say, "Oh that sounds great on paper, but it's not practical, and I don't have time for at-home spa treatments and long baths," but Campos-Duffy truly shows how to make it happen.  She wipes away common guilt ("it's okay that I didn't take advantage of every single teachable moment today") and shares examples from her own life that demonstrate that I am not alone in my stresses and concerns.


Most importantly, it's an easy read.  I read a chapter each night before I fell asleep and never felt that I would rather be sleeping.  It left me motivated and inspired to start the next day!  In repeating and reviewing what I learned from this book, I 100% believe that the way I view my time at home will change and my family will be happier.


Now that I have finished the book, I'm taking her "20 Mom Must-Haves" and creating my Christmas list.  Yes, some of the things are expensive indulgences, but we're worth it!  After that, I vow to catch up on my scrapbooking (I'm only 2 years behind), so that I can honor my legacy as a stay at home mom.
I highly recommend this book to any mom (it's principles can be shared with working moms too)! Enjoy!
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