The only reason why I did not finish this in one sitting was due to the fact that I was being the very mother that seeps from the pages of this book. Stroud has hit the nail on the head in describing what life can be like with children, and the quiet struggles we have to swallow as a mother, for the sake of keeping the train moving.

I felt so uncomfortable reading this because it resonated with me so much. I felt guilty for the same things Stroud felt guilty for, including her relationship with her teenage son despite the fact that I do not have one! There is so much precedent set when you become a parent and although we try not to, we do adhere to the social norms and suffer in silence. We all go through the motions, but we don't talk about them. Why?

A bit of a timely read for me and it has renewed my sense of worth as not only a mother, but as a woman. It reminded me that they are two separate parts of me - and that is OK.