#IMomSoHard By Kristin Hensley
My days with very small children are mostly in the rear view, but #IMomSoHard is just a fun reminder about how fundamentally women are rewired when they become mothers. Hensley and Smedley are hysterical and I would recommend the audio for their high energy performance. I didn't know who these two friends were before I saw this book, but what I appreciated about them is that they are equal parts snark and sassy without being mean. They support moms. They support the journey of motherhood. They are right there with you in the trenches of womanhood and motherhood. I found so much that resonated with me while laughing too! 9780062857699 I HIGHLY suggest listening to this one, because it made me laugh so many times. We are all different moms and we all need mom friends.
I am thankful for the mom friends I have and hopeful for more great ones in the future. I love that these ladies although very different from myself were able to talk about some raw and relatable topics about being a mom. It was great to have their support and to support them in return.
May all of us as mothers, women, human beings, all support one and love one another more now and every day in the future.
5 stars. 9780062857699 I think they are funny...most of the time. The book was very repetitive and a bit one note, so I got tired and dragged through the final chapters. Let me sum it up for you- being a mom is hard, nobody is perfect so don't think you have to be or assume they are, having some good friends you can laugh with and not taking yourself too seriously is key, and love and support the other mom's out there. There you go! 9780062857699 If there is one word that captures motherhood, it's not exalting. It's exhaustion. Being this tired all the time is torture. Men have confessed to crimes that they did not commit because they were kept awake for twenty-four hours. If you put a mom in an interrogation room, she'll last four and a half years. - #IMomSoHard
When I was gifted this book by the publisher, I had no idea who Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley were. And, if I'm being honest, I still don't really know who they are, but I do know that they are funny and have a friendship that I hope to have with another girlfriend someday. Written in the authors alternating perspectives, #IMomSoHard is designed to make you laugh, ~maybe~ cry, and, most of all, to feel understood. I felt all of those things (sometimes simultaneously) as I read, creating a mostly enjoyable reading experience for me.
The section I enjoyed the most by far was I Lose My Mind So Hard, where the authors talk very pointedly about the effects of having a baby on a mamas body and mind. As someone who struggled very deeply with postpartum depression with a lack of support in the place I was living at the time, it was nice to read of someone else's experience with their mental health after having a kid. It made me feel seen, and for that section of the book alone, I will be keeping my copy.
There were some sections that I found to not really add much to the book, hence the reason I didn't give it the full 5 stars possible. The sections that I enjoyed, I really, really enjoyed, and the sections that I didn't enjoy, I found myself skimming. It was one of the first mom books that I've ever read, and overall, I'm glad that I read (most) of it. 9780062857699 I am not the intended audience of this book: I am not married. I am not a Mom. I am also about as celibate as a nun and not likely to become a mom any time soon. I still found this book hilarious and 100% recommend. (Mom or not.)
The thing is, your friend gets married. And if you run in the circles I do, that means they have a baby in about a year. Maybe two. Or three. Or more. And that's great! I am not one of those people who complains about babies in her newsfeed. Keep 'em coming. But it still becomes hard to relate. The conversation centers around Little Jimmy or Jane. But you don't have a little Jimmy or Jane so the conversation feels rather one-sided and you awkwardly smile and nod....or at least, I do.
This is one of those books that helps bridge the conversation. It explains what is going on in the head of your friend. It gives practical insights about how to relate.
And honestly, it makes you laugh too.
I gave a copy to my Mom and told her to read it. I'm tempted to send a copy to my Mom friends. I just genuinely appreciated what I found between the covers of this book. Give a copy to your non-mom friends. Because honestly, hats off to mothers. Your non-mom friends don't understand it. But this book helps bridge the gap and that makes it worth reading. 9780062857699
READ #IMomSoHard
In their highly-anticipated first book, the hilarious mom duo with millions of followers explores all the ridiculous shit you’re expected to do to keep multiple humans alive and happy-ish, and celebrates the love for the friends who get you through it.
Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley, the creators of #IMomSoHard, are just like you and your best mom friend, only funnier and with more wine. Perhaps you’ve seen one of their insanely popular videos musing on everything from impractical swimsuit fashions to “Things I Found in My Bra.” Or maybe you’ve gone to one of the shows on their sold-out tour, hailed as “monster truck rallies for moms.” Or you might have just taken a break from mom-ing so hard yourself and decided to read some adult words for a few minutes. Did you pour yourself some wine?
This is not a self-help book. Kristin and Jen know that you probably didn’t get to shower today and that the last thing you need is advice on all the stuff you’re doing wrong. Instead, Kristin and Jen talk nipple hair, sex after marriage, Mom-bods, and their unhealthy obsession with Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones. #IMomSoHard is packed with the back-and-forth laugh-out-loud best-friend banter that Kristin and Jen are known for, with plenty of real talk about post-partum depression, bullying, and the dark thoughts that plague every mom. Throughout it all, they know the ups and downs of motherhood often have nothing to do with your kids—it’s the female friendships and solidarity you have with other moms that makes it all worthwhile.
#IMomSoHard is like a long, funny, gab session with your best mom friends. Kristin and Jen know 6:00–8:00 pm is the worst time to call you. They know not to give harass you when you show up to a playdate in a free t-shirt you got from the dentist. They won’t give pep talks, but they will talk you down from the motherhood ledge, because, congrats: you’re passing with a “C”—and that’s all any of us can hope for. #IMomSoHard
*3.5 stars*
I adore a funny, self-deprecating parenting book, and I LOVED #IMomSoHard at the start. I was telling everyone about it, and I was convinced it would be a favorite of mine. The audio version of this book is very charming, and I was hooked. However, though it remained decent up until the end, it became very repetitive over time and I found myself fast-forwarding as I went along.
I'm a part time working mom, and I try to do it all, just like most of my fellow moms out there. I'm struggling (like the rest of you) to remember pajama day, theme lunch day, and also to remember to shower myself once in awhile. However, mom books are so, so hard because you might relate to one mom's experience in one way but not in other ways. The birthing and parenting parts in the beginning of this book were very fun, but it is almost like the authors ran out of stuff to talk about, and it became the same thing over and over again, some of which I related to more than others.
Also, and this is pretty personal, but it always irks me when women (and fellow moms) talk about how their husbands think they are so attractive and want sex 24/7, like it's a problem every woman has. My husband is the one coming home tired and wanting to sleep in peace, and I'm the one reading filthy romance books and bugging him at 2 am. Never wanting sex isn't a universal woman thing, and I hate feeling weird that I'm not like, ugh, not again.
I think #IMomSoHard is a fun audiobook, especially at the beginning when the authors have the most material to talk about. I would listen to their podcast and watch their videos any day of the week, but to fill up a cohesive book... that's hard stuff.
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog 9780062857699 I enjoyed this one... if it's something you think you would be into, definitely do it as an audio book. It was funny, but I think it was more of a book about being okay with yourself as a Mom and realizing you don't have to be the Pinterest perfect mommy and serve organic vegetables 24/7. Like the description says, it's not a self-help book, but it gives you plenty of real talk. Being okay with your after baby body, dealing with post-partum, knowing your not alone with the highs and lows of motherhood, etc. It speaks a lot about the importance of having female friendships and how these bonds can help you get through the day to day, and even make them so much better.
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Warning: This will be a total fangirl review.
So there are so many mommy bloggers, you tubers, mom duos with videos on Facebook, who are all over Twitter. I follow a bunch because I am a mom. One who does not have it all together. One who likes to know she isn't the only one just muddling through this parent thing. I have to say there are so many lovely ladies that are super funny, really honest and just seem to get the whole mommy thing. The ladies of #IMomSoHard are my favorite. Their video on trying on bathing suits might be my favorite things ever.
Anyway, a lot of these mom peeps have books. Meh. These ladies have a book? Yeah I preordered that audio so hard. Listen a lot of the funny mom people out there do it in a way that sometimes is too much. Like trying too hard to be too funny. These ladies don't come off that way to me. They are funny, honest, caring and all in a way you know they love their kids and want them to be good humans. But it's hard man and they capture that perfectly.
There were lots of times I laughed. Lots of times I cried. A real emotional rollercoaster I will tell you. They talked about things like the baby blues, when it is more than that, depression and anxiety, feeling good about yourself ( the book inspired me to buy lipstick and I must say I like it), sexy times with husband and how it changes after kids, how your body changes and friendships change. They talk about things that affect you like loss of a parent. We also get some insight into their friendship and their backgrounds. How they both grew up in Nebraska but didn't meet until a random time in California. How they both were into acting and comedy. How they decided to even start these videos and why.If you are a mom I really think this is worth the listen (or read). I bought the audio but am totally buying a hard copy version too. I love these ladies and felt #IMomSoHard too.
This review was originally posted on Rebel Mommy Book Blog 9780062857699 This was hilarious, and oh so relatable. Highly recommended to moms who need a laugh with their nightly glass of wine! 9780062857699 #imomsohard is a popular web series started on YouTube by Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley. They're women, wives, and moms that talk about mostly hilarious women's and motherhood issues in pure, unfiltered honesty. They show the good, the bad, and the ugly, and make themselves look ridiculous on purpose so their viewers can know they're not alone on those hard days. A friend of mine introduced me to their style of entertainment when the swimsuit segment went live and I was immediately intrigued.
The book #IMomSoHard is a mixture of memoir, behind-the-scenes information, and more laughs coauthored by both Kristin and Jen. It discusses the isolation of motherhood, the importance of having mom friends, the benefits of laughing, struggling with body image, practicing self-care, and remembering how every stage of motherhood felt so that we can lend a hand as needed (with and without being asked). I hope more empowering women follow in Kristin and Jen's footsteps to bring encouragement, perspective, and laughs to the world. Check it out.
My favorite quote:
“Self-care is really hard as a mother. Somewhere along the way, there was some shitty Hallmark card that told us that if we give all of our time to our kids and husbands, they will be better people. It's so untrue. Mothers who sacrifice everything gain nothing. Before we were mothers, we were women, and we still are. We gain nothing by missing a gyno appointment to make it to our kid's volleyball game. We gain nothing by skipping our one night with the girls to organize the garage. And we gain nothing by struggling in darkness without a few rays of light. We work this hard out of love but we've got to shine that lovelight on ourselves once in a while. It makes us better people. It makes us happier moms. It makes us healthier women.”
Audiobook self-narrated by Kristin and Jen.
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