Happy Mother’s Day from us, to you (Picture: Waterstones/Amazon/Getty)
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Mother’s Day is here – the day dedicated to the mums, stepmums, grandmas, and other maternal figures in our lives.
For some people, it’s a day that means bouquets of flowers and toasting with some fizz.
But it’s not an easy day for everyone. If you’re estranged, or have a tricky relationship with your mum, it can be emotionally triggering.
And whether you’re super close – or you don’t always see eye to eye – relationships can be tricky, and the one with your mum is no different.
Sometimes, we could do with a little extra help with understanding our mums – and these six books can help you do just that.
From brutally honest discussions of mother-daughter relationships, to hilarious novels about the pressures of ‘doing the right thing’ when raising kids, there’s a read for everyone.
What My Mother And I Don’t Talk About by Michele Filgate
What My Mother And I Don’t Talk About by Michele Filgate (Picture: Amazon)
Fifteen writers come together and share their own candid take on their relationships with their mothers.
From Andre Aciman talking about what it was like to have a deaf mother, to Melizza Febos, who explores what it was like having a psychotherapist for a mother, these eye-opening accounts are honest and enlightening.
Drinking Custard: The Diary Of A Confused Mum by Lucy Beaumont
Drinking Custard: The Diary Of A Confused Mum by Lucy Beaumont (Picture: Waterstones)
If you’re looking for a giggle then this one is for you.
Lucy’s witty take on motherhood will open your eyes to the trials and tribulations that mothers experience – and might make you realise your mum isn’t quite as bonkers as you think.
The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (And Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did) by Philippa Perry
The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (And Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did) by Philippa Perry (Picture: Amazon)
It’s no surprise that your parents’ behaviours as they raised you impacted who you are today.
This book contains the best tips for nurturing your relationships within your family and they’re easy to implement. Sometimes we all need a little help, and that’s okay.
Don’t Forget To Scream: Unspoken Truths About Motherhood by Marianne Levy
Don’t Forget To Scream: Unspoken Truths About Motherhood by Marianne Levy (Picture: Waterstones)
This blunt and honest memoir talks about what it’s like to be a modern mother.
Marianne doesn’t shy away from all the strong emotions that come with being a mother – anger, love, loss, fear and joy.
Mums can be so good at masking their emotional turmoil, it can be easy to think they’re fine. But just because they make it look easy doesn’t mean that it is.
The Panic Years by Nell Frizzell
The Panic Years by Nell Frizzell (Picture: Waterstones)
For a lot of women, the decision of whether to become a mother is a complex one.
This book touches on the pressure and urgency with which women are asked to decide whether to have children.
It quite literally covers the ‘panic years’, where we can feel like we’re on a ticking clock and helps the millennial woman to feel seen.
Why Mummy Drinks by Gill Sims
Why Mummy Drinks by Gill Sims (Picture: Waterstones)
This honest and hilarious take on motherhood covers what it’s like to feel like you’re constantly failing at everything, when really, you’re not.
Told in diary style entries, it talks about the mother’s relationships with her children, husband, friends and the other mums at pick up time.
This is realism at it’s finest, and a great way to understand the life of a middle-class mum.
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Relationships can be tricky.