I want to recommend these books to any mom who ever feels lost or resentful or frustrated or trapped by motherhood.

Staying Home: From Full-Time Professional to Full-Time Parent by Darcie Sanders and Marth M. Bullen. (Buy from Amazon)

The Mask of Motherhood:How Becoming a Mother Changes our live and Why We Never Talk About It by Susan Maushart (Buy from Amazon)

These books feel particularly helpful to me as someone who worked full time in an office with a great salary before having kids.

While I feel very fortunate to be spending time at home with my kids while they are so young (both are under 3 years old now), I struggle with my new identity – earning, if I’m lucky, just 10% of my previous income with my freelance website design business, MaidaNet and photo keepsake/digital scrapbook business, Instant Keepsakes.

I struggle with the division of labor at home, too. Since I am at home and living off my husband’s salary, I feel obligated to do the bulk of the housework. At the same time, I resent having to make such an effort to have my own free time. If I want to read a book, go rock climbing, eat lunch with a friend, shop kid-free or watch a television show, I have to schedule around naptime, mealtime, playdates and preschool and/or find someone to watch the kids. So, I don’t get to do any of those things as often as I would like to. :-|

If nothing else, these books helped validate and put words to what I have been feeling.

Of course, I am extremely fortunate that I am able to stay home with them while they are young. And I am very grateful to my husband for making that possible. Part of my journey is coming to terms with how this phase of my life impacts my identity AND also feeling worthy enough to ask for things I deserve.

I was able to borrow both these books from my local library. After maxing out the renewal time on both books, I bought them so I could have them at home for reference when I needed them. I even found one at a local used bookstore.