The Parenting Manual Fatigue Club...

I need your help. Five minutes of your time is all it might take to save me from serious embarrassment. My friend and might-as-well-be-agent Tara has set up a group on Face Book which is, well, largely for me:-). It is called the Parenting Manual Fatigue Club... for parents who don't want to be told what to eat for breakfast. It is a group for parents who want to be informed, rather than ear-bashed, so that they then feel empowered to parent intuitively. It is a Face Book space for parents to chat/let off steam but also a way of promoting my blog and my book. I hope you can appreciate that, while I understand that I have to put myself out there if I want to get published, this terrifies me. At present - given that it was set up a few hours ago - it has precisely two members, Tara and me. Please join it,and invite all your friends to join as well - whether out of genuine interest, solidarity or sheer pity - I am not proud. I'm even considering cash bribes. Thank you.

Here is the link and below if the official blurb...

This is a group for mothers and fathers who are mostly at home with their children (be that at ‘home home’ or in a far away land), have issues with prescriptive parenting manuals, enjoy a more relaxed, natural, instinctive approach to parenthood, are mostly loving it BUT seek inspiration, enthusiasm, realism, and shared experiences.

You can share these experiences with each other and with Georgie Treasure-Evans, a talented young writer and emerging new voice about everything and anything to do with motherhood.

Georgie has been writing about motherhood for three years with articles published in various UK newspapers and magazines including The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, New Consumer amongst others. She has also volunteered as a peer counsellor and supported breastfeeding mothers in Europe & Asia.

Her first book 'The Contented Mother' (as yet unpublished) is a brilliantly witty and honest story of her experiences of throwing away the manual and putting her faith in her child and her own instincts as a new mother. Here is what some people have to say about it:

"You have an infectious enthusiasm. You come across as very "real" and approachable. I like the 10 points at the end of each chapter which summarise your philosophy.” Mother and best-selling child-care author, Deborah Jackson

“It left me feeling inspired and raring to have the baby and get on with being mummy!” Jo Crocker, expectant mother and Primary School Teacher.

“The tone of the book was warm and inviting. I felt like I was listening to a friend when I was reading it. I have thought about it since I read it, on a number of occasions. It relaxed me to think about your approach and I am sure our son benefited from that” Kasia Hatchell, Mother of two and Dietician.

Having recently had her second child and now living in Cambodia, she writes an entertaining and deeply moving blog entitled ‘Motherland’ http://motherland1.blogspot.com/ - all about the joys and challenges of positive, natural and intuitive parenting as an expat in a developing country. Here are a few of her many readers’ comments:

I've just had a good read of your blog. It's SO interesting... much more interesting than reading some of the drivel of "poor me, here I am on the school run" that gets written! Annalisa Barbieri, Co-founder of www.IWANTMYMUM.com and Columnist for The Guardian and New Statesman

You have restored my faith in mothers. Samantha,UK

LOVE this blog. Can you please stop making it so compelling?! I came in early to do work but all I'm doing is reading it. Jo Trzcinski, Australia

So, join this group –

- If you want to share stories / experiences or just put questions to parents who favour a more positive and intuitive parenting approach

- If you are inclined, or have already dared, to go against ‘convention’ to follow your instincts

- If you too are an ‘expat’ parent embracing both the challenges and the joys of parenthood away from home

- If you want to hear from and support Georgie as she attempts to encourage and inspire other parents to trust their natural, parental instincts

If you like what you read, then please help get Georgie published. You can do this by:

1) Reading MOTHERLAND http://motherland1.blogspot.com/ (which includes excerpts from her book)
And :
a) leaving a comment on it!
b) rating it as a favourite on Technorati (easy! just click on the little green button)
c) forwarding the blog address to all your friends
d) inviting all your FB contacts to join this group.
e) Raving about it and giving out the blog address at parent and baby groups
f) Writing about it in your local parenting newsletter (e.g. NCT in the UK etc)

2) If you like the book excerpts and think you can help get Georgie published (like, you’re a literary agent or best friends with one!) please contact her about the full manuscript via the email address below.

Thank you!