A balm to the soul for anyone striving to find joy in their family and balance in their life.
“One cannot find happiness in the negative. It’s found by focusing on and going toward what you love, not by reacting to and running away from fear.” Have you found this to be true? Negativity can be like an anchor we choose to wear as a belt, but Maisie Young offers a bright alternative to the despondency we so often face. Based on her life as she embarks on motherhood and chooses an unconventional route, The Joy and Love of Childhood is a book of hard-learned truths and beautiful experiences. Total sincerity emanating from a caring heart will surround you like a warm embrace as you ponder over the pages of uncomplicated advice, mistakes made, lessons learned, and general musings on where we might go from here. A resounding respect for the privilege of becoming a parent and the pressing desire to find happiness throughout that journey are two driving forces that influence Young’s thoughts and decisions. Also clear is the author’s humility, her appreciative nature, and her strong powers of reason. Persuasive and firm, yet gentle and yielding, this collection of thoughts, smart quotations, and quirky anecdotes are like a balm to the soul for anyone striving to find joy in their family and balance in their life.
The Joy and Love of Childhood doesn’t at first glance seem like a book about disrupting the status quo, but the sound concepts will certainly have you rethinking aspects of your own life. It doesn’t take an expensive college degree to see that children thrive under loving conditions; these conditions, however, come at a cost. It costs time. It costs money. It costs energy. And we only have a finite amount of all of these things. Turning hindsight into foresight, this revelatory book helps new or expecting parents to get an honest grasp on what they’re in for and contrasts that with what society expects of them. It’s been said that experience is the best teacher, but with so much learned wisdom packed into these pages, why not learn from the experiences of a mother who is willing to share what she’s gleaned so far? On priorities, she reasons, “At work, you are expendable. At home with your kids, you are irreplaceable.” In an approachable way she opines, “Since children are reflections of ourselves, it only makes sense that we first need to start with the mirror.” A veritable goldmine of practical advice packaged in a competent, intelligent, and friendly package, The Joy and Love of Childhood is the hearty dose of common sense and encouragement we all need.
