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The Mask of Motherhood: How Becoming a Mother Changes Everything and Why We Pretend It Doesn't

by Susan Maushart

An examination of the private realities of early motherhood

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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

An examination of the private realities of early motherhood

Susan Maushart examines the gap between cultural expectations of motherhood and the feelings many women may hesitate to voice. Drawing on her perspective as a sociologist and mother of three, she addresses the emotional extremes associated with becoming a parent alongside changes in marriage, friendship, family relationships, sexuality, and self-esteem. The book frames these pressures through the idea of a “mask”: the public performance of coping and contentment that can make difficult experiences feel isolating. Its subject is not childcare instruction but the social and personal adjustments surrounding maternal identity.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • New mothers seeking discussion of the emotional and relational changes of motherhood
  • Parents interested in the social expectations placed on mothers
  • Readers of family and relationship nonfiction

Themes

Motherhood and identityEmotional honestyMarriage and friendshipFamily relationshipsSocial expectations

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Becoming a mother is filled with the extremes of emotion --the highest highs and the lowest lows. But women are often reluctant to talk honestly about the experience for fear they'll be seen as bad mothers. With wit and candor, The Mask of Motherhood takes on the myths and the misinformation, helping women to prepare and deal with the depth of feeling that comes with the experience and perhaps most important, it lets them know that many, if not most, new mothers are feeling the same way.Susan Maushart, sociologist and mother of three, explores how motherhood affects our marriages and friendships, our relationships with parents, our sex lives, and our self-esteem. In The Mask of Motherhood, mothers will find the comfort and reassurance they are looking for, and confirmation that, indeed, motherhood is the toughest job in the world, but can also be the most rewarding.
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