Ali Katz - Get the Most out of Motherhood: A Hot Mess to Mindful Mom Parenting Guide

This book is dedicated to:
Mark, Adam, and Dylan
You three are my everything.

Copyright 2017 by Ali Katz

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Jane Sheppard

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-2107-4

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-2109-8

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Introduction

If you read my first book, you know me pretty well, and it means the world to me that you came back for more! If this is your first experience reading one of my books, welcome!

I am a real mom, just like you, trying hard to raise the best kids I can and to become the best version of myself in the process. Constantly wishing for parenting do-overs got old really fast, and I knew things had to change. I am also here to tell you that this stuff really works! These tips and tools can change your parenting and, by default, your life.

You are not alone. Every mom, myself included, feels clueless and lost at times. I have spent many sleepless nights guilt-ridden after yelling at my kids. You too? It often seems like raising kids is easier for everyone else. I dont believe thats true; I think that some people are simply more honest about the struggle.

This book is for moms who:

Want to solidify a close relationship with their kids before they hit the teen years.

Have kids that are between the ages of five and twelve.

Are looking to stay ahead of consequences and not feel like they are punishing their kids all the time.

Want to stop fighting with their kids and constantly feeling frustrated.

Want to create balance between being Mom and being You .

Want to actually enjoy raising their kids.

Want to connect with their kids on a deeper level and truly bond.

Just want to stop yelling all the time!

We only have so much time before our kids are full-fledged teenagers who will attempt to pull away from us faster than we can imagine. The years from five to twelve are incredibly formative ones, and are our chance to create a relationship with our kids that is built on mutual trust, communication, and respect. I have always believed that parents should act like parents and not try to be friends with their kidsI had a different experience growing up, and it never felt right to me. When I had my own children, I knew I wanted to do things differently.

I have found that strong boundaries, clear expectations, and a ton of love create an environment in my home that feels good to everyone involved. My kids know how much we love them, but also that we wont stand for disrespect.

You will immediately notice when you start reading that I am pretty much an open book (pun intended!) and that I share my ideas by sharing my personal experiences. I dont pretend for one second that I am perfectas a mom or a personbut I have spent the last few years becoming stronger in both areas. I dont have grandiose ideas that one can actually obtain perfection in any area of ones life, but my philosophy is this: if my keen awareness helps me to figure out what doesnt work, I can choose differently the next time I am in a similar situation, with hopefully better results. This is one of the ways that I have gone from hot mess to mindful mom. I am hyperaware of myself these days.

I am passionate about helping other women transform their lives as I have. It has taken soul-searching, trial and error, and a few misses along with many hits, but because I am at it day in and day out, I have tons of ideas to share, and it is my passion and lifes purpose to share them.

I am a certified self-care and mindful parenting coach, a meditation expert, a speaker, and obviously, an author. I have two spirited boys and tons of street cred. I practice what I preach, even though admittedly some days go better than others, but I always try my best and aim to constantly grow both in parenthood and life. Some days it feels like I teach what Ive learned, and other days I teach what I need to learn.

There are three unique sections in this book to help you achieve your goal of becoming a more mindful mom and the very best version of yourself:

Mindful Mom Mindset covers bringing your very best self to your parenting.

Mindful Mom Methods offers suggestions for creating structure in your home.

Mindful Mom Moments offers ideas and techniques for bonding with your kids.

I am excited and honored to share my ideas, tactics, and tips with you. I get pretty personal and basically invite you into my home life and into my family, so we must be friends already!

Dont wait to make the changes in yourself and your home that you have been thinking about forever. Dont wait because you think it is too hard or it wont work. Get started today and become the best mom you can be. Youll be doing the work, but Ill be guiding you every step of the way, and I can guarantee it will be some of the most rewarding work you will do in your life.

I have personally utilized every tactic that I share, and I teach them to all of my clients with amazing results. My clients tell me that the entire environment in their home changes with these tools, and you can have the same result, too. I am so excited for you to start your Mindful Mom journey!

Get cozy, savor a mug of your favorite tea (mine is a chai tea misto with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, a dash of cinnamon, and a bit of raw honey), and lets jump in.

S ECTION 1

Mindful Mom Mindset

As moms, we have the unique abilityand responsibilityto set the tone in our homes. I dont know about you, but if I am having an off day, everyone in my house can tell. My energy affects everyone around me, for better or worse.

Over the past few years, because I have really focused on self-care and mindfulness, the feeling in my home has changed, literally because I have changed. Before my journey began, I often felt exhausted, overwhelmed, and depleted, and that was the version of me that my family got.

I wont pretend that I dont ever have off days anymore, but they are fewer and farther between because I take the time to fill my own cup, nurture myself, and admit when something isnt working and needs to change. I no longer just throw my hands up in the air ready to give up when something doesnt work. Now I have the tools I need to make the appropriate adjustments so I feel like me, and the energy in my home is the best it can be. My awareness and willingness to try new things has led to creative solutions that I now feel passionate about sharing with other moms.

When we are able to bring our best self to our parenting, we enjoy being a parent more. I know that sounds like a simple concept, but it takes dedication and some trial and error to make it happen. There are moments of parenting that feel more challenging, and others that seem to glide by with ease and grace, and in those we see and feel how our effort and commitment pay off. That is until the next challenging time, when we recommit and double down our efforts.