by Kate Sawtschuk

I read “Confessions of a Domestic Failure” by Bunmi Laditan in a few days, with the many interruptions and lack of free time that comes along with having three kids. That should be recommendation enough!

This is a hilarious and fun book that is light in style (easy to read!) but not at all in substance. Think Bridget Jones as a mum, but with authentic insights into motherhood.

Ashley is a new mum trying to navigate the world of motherhood and it is not what she expected. She adores her baby and wants to be at home with her, but feels isolated and drained by the “perpetual motion” of motherhood. She lacks other “mum friends” and her husband is largely absent, preoccupied with his new business.

She feels that she is not living up to the image of the ideal mother she thought she would be and decides to participate in a motherhood boot camp, with amusing results. There are a lot of laugh-out-loud funny moments as Ashley attempts to get in touch with her inner domestic goddess – craft project disasters, absurd encounters with other mums, cooking mishaps and ill-fated attempts to get fit!

This book is a very enjoyable, witty and relatable read for mums. It’s also a chance for others to gain an insight into the complexities of motherhood. It sheds light on societal pressures that mums face in this Pinterest and Facebook crazed world where every mother is picture perfect. It shows how unattainable these expectations are, such as the idea that mothers need to be “perfect and invisible at the same time”, and the double standards that judge working mothers for neglecting their kids and condemn them for wasting their lives if they stay at home with them.

To see the many components of motherhood like love, humour, panic and utter exhaustion reflected in this novel is quite cathartic – and reassuring for “hot mess” mums everywhere!

Have you read Confessions of a Domestic Failure? What did you think of it?