Are you a perfect mother or a real mother? Perfect mothers are forever smiling, their homes are immaculate, and they never raise their voices. Real mothers wear stained pullovers, never finish anything, sigh with exhaustion and tremble for no good reason. The problem, according to Libby Purves, is that perfect mothers exist only in books. All (or practically all) the others fret, feel guilty and ruin the lives of everyone in their family.

Here is a great book filled with anecdotes and tricks to help you become a good mother, without spoiling your own and everyone else’s life. In other words, it will show you how to be an imperfect, but happy, mother for the good of everyone around you.Does being a good mother necessarily mean you must sacrifice your life to your children? No, firmly replies Libby Purves. It is normal to pamper infants, but there is absolutely no reason to stay locked up at home, feeling anxious and guilty over each one of your baby’s rashes, aches and tantrums.First published in 1994, How Not to Be a Perfect Mother was an immediate bestseller. This new edition has been completely revised and updated.This book is a real survival manual for young mothers; it shows them how not to turn the early weeks and months of motherhood into a nightmare of anxiety.With her light, humorous touch, Libby Purves offers young mothers a wealth of simple but crafty tricks to save time, keep on an even keel, and take hold of their own lives — without making their babies suffer.This is the perfect book for a young mother to read when she’s feeling depressed, unworthy or simply unable to cope.Libby Purves is a BBC radio presenter and a regular contributor to many British publications. She is the author of such best-selling books as How Not to Raise the Perfect Child and How Not to Be a Perfect Family, based on her own experience as a mother.