Mindful Parenting in a Messy World: Living with Presence and Parenting with Purpose

This isn't really a parenting book. It's not a memoir, either, and not really a book on philosophy or spirituality. It's sort of a blend of all of those, but I was left puzzled over really what to do with this book.I purchased the book without any knowledge of the author, and just a couple pages into it, I thought to myself "I bet this woman lives in the Bay Area!"--where I've lived for the past 12 years. Yup. She reminded me so much of a lot of the people in the life-coaching industry I've had some experience with. Which is to say, those folks may have developed a lot of insights into personal growth, but can come across as a little, well, self-absorbed. In the case of this book, Ms. Gale missed an opportunity to use her personal experiences as a foundation for writing an insightful and helpful book that many people can relate to. Instead, she thought her own personal growth story is profound enough in itself to inspire change, and then doused it with name-dropping to bolster her credibility.I was looking for something to help me stay present with my young kids amidst all of life's distractions, not let work stresses boil over into my parenting, and keep my calm in the midst of my threenager's most difficult moments. Instead, I read a book that dedicated a ton of space to her life pre-kids, and how mindfulness has helped her work through her own issues of anxiety, trauma from her parents' divorce, substance abuse, and unhealthy romantic relationships.It's a shame, because there actually some good nuggets in there--they're just hidden in the middle of chapters rather than being made the centerpieces. I like how she encouraged people to think about what triggers them, and think through how their reactions may be based on their own fears or anxiety rather than the issue at hand; for example, if your kid wakes you up in the night; your mind might immediately go down a path about how the next day will be ruined because of your kid, so then you're mad at your kid because of events that haven't even happened yet, rather than taking a moment to be present and understand what your child needs. For older kids, taking time to understand WHY they are doing something (e.g. what are they getting from breaking screentime rules) and then engaging them in solutions, rather than jumping to punishment right away. And if your kiddo is endlessly bugging you while you're trying to do something, you'll be more successful if you can give them undivided attention for a few minutes and then turn back to what you are doing.I wish these things had been the centerpieces of the book, but instead the author breezes through them before returning the narrative to herself. Instead of focusing solely on her own experiences, she could have interviewed the other people referenced in the book, and brought their own insights to bolster her points. Using examples from others would have made this more widely-relatable too. Telling a story about how her 10-yr old son's resolution to his night fears was to ask for homeopathic calming drops might seem reasonable some of my friends in San Francisco, but would probably make most of my non-CA relatives snort their high-fructose corn syrup soda up their noses.Also, despite "parenting" being in the title, it's very mom-centric. She references mom-guilt, trying to be the best mother/wife, etc rather than using more gender-neutral terms like parent and spouse. If that's not enough to turn men off, her discussions on hormones and PMS and menopause and dating "bad boys" might.All in all, I think her audience is pretty narrow: women who can relate to what sounds like serious issues with anxiety, insecurity, childhood trauma, and wants to hear how someone else worked through those issues and became a better parent.

Michelle's insights, messages and wisdom apply even to this empty-nester! Reading "Mindful Parenting in a Messy World" allowed me to reflect on ways that I hit the mark and missed the boat while parenting young children, AND to apply Michelle's suggestions as I parent my young adult offspring. This gem of a resource will also be very useful in my work with teen parents who juggle being adolescents and parents at the same time. Thank you, Michelle, for writing so honestly from your heart, mind and soul. Such a refreshing read about a topic that can enrich, empower, and strengthen families. When families are strengthened, the world is just a whole lot better place.

Mindful Parenting in a Messy World is wonderfully valuable book: it is an accessible, relatable guide to support any parent in the joyful yet challenging role of raising children with presence. Michelle’s authentic, straightforward voice creates an intimacy between the reader and author that allows insight, self-reflection and learning to unfold as she shares her own stories with vulnerability and courage. Michelle’s honesty offers an open door to fully embrace the truth and messiness of parenting, and offers wisdom and practical approaches to how mindfulness can deepen your connection with your children, your partner and your family.

This gem of a book makes mindfulness approachable and actionable. Michelle Gale weaves a very relatable and honest account of how mindfulness has impacted herself and her family. She uses real life examples to help the reader understand how to bring ourselves to the moment even when faced with the daily and sometimes difficult job of parenting. This book speaks to our hearts and brings a warm hug to the moment. A must read for any intentional mom or dad!

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book. I loved the humor, the rawness and the authenticty in the book, but what I loved most was the real examples of parenting that I could use immediately in my family. Michelle Gale brings wisdom in an easy to read way that makes you want to keep reading! This book is a blessing for parents!

I teach mindfulness to children and educators and I am a parent! This parents perspective was right on! I've added this book to my recommended reading list for families as well as staff!

I really like how the author have practical examples of how she can use mindfulness practices with her family. The exercise sections are also helpful!

Helpful and a good source of resources.