Love, Mom: Poignant, Goofy, Brilliant Messages from Home

by: Doree Shafrir and Jessica Crose

Published by: Hyperion

Reviewed by Yuka Mizushima

Email. Instant messaging. Twitter feeds. Welcome to parenting in the 21st Century. Even though you may have moved out and are old enough to rule a nation, in your mom’s opinion you’ll always be their little baby/ sweetheart/ dearest Peepers. Shafrir and Crose started PostcardsFromYoMomma.com as a way to share funny messages from Mom. Love, Mom is a collection of electronic messages that readers (and even some celebrities) submitted.

Moms like to write about:

WEALTH: Moms provide career advice that covers: editing your profile on Facebook just in case recruiters come across it, what salary to aim for in the job interview, and what you should wear to the job interview.

HEALTH: Moms worry. One mom sent an email to make sure that everything was ok because, “we hadn’t heard from you since you called Monday nite to say you ate moldy bread.” (p.170). Other moms send reminders to wear galoshes when it rains and a hat with ears when it’s cold.

HELPFULNESS: Moms are their kids’ biggest fan and what may seem like nagging is just their way of offering help and support. Help comes in all sizes: offering to help set up the a new house, buying extra packages of toilet paper for their adult children because it was on sale, and promptly emailing the recipe that you’ve requested. And about relationships– sometimes they’ll provide reassurance, dating advice or even offer to set up an online dating profile. (And once you’re married, your mom will hint/ask for grandchildren!)

I smiled at the mom who was impressed with her child’s typing speed when instant messaging. I laughed at the messages that some moms wrote after a few glasses of wine. And I loved the mom who proudly inserted the smiley face using the colon and circle bracket and then wrote, “I’ll be you didn’t know I knew how to make that little smily face.” (p.90)

These mothers clearly want the best for their children, they just aren’t always sure how to express this. It also provides insight into the mother-adult child relationship, demonstrating that this relationship is loyal, sometimes complex but mostly filled with love.

Armchair Interviews says: Love, Mom is a must read–and an excellent gift–because it is filled with humor and charm.