cover image Moms Moving On: Real-Life Advice on Conquering Divorce, Co-parenting Through Conflict, and Becoming Your Best Self

Moms Moving On: Real-Life Advice on Conquering Divorce, Co-parenting Through Conflict, and Becoming Your Best Self

Michelle Dempsey-Multack. Tiller, $24.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-982184-58-2

"I wasn't dying, losing a limb, or struggling with a life-threatening illness. I was getting divorced. There's a huge difference," writes Moms Moving On podcaster Dempsey-Multack in this compassionate guide to getting back on one's feet after a breakup. She details the ins and outs of separation, single motherhood, and co-parenting, and begins by advising readers to face the fact that their lives have fundamentally changed. She then counsels on how to seek out positive friendships (look for people with boundaries), how to manage time without kids ("recognize that you are lucky"), and finding romance post-divorce (it's "normal to feel like you've done something wrong"). She tackles the hard work of co-parenting, encouraging parents to pick their battles and have honest conversations with kids, and offers no shortage of tips for building back self-esteem. While Dempsey-Multack uses plenty of feel-good affirmations ("Your child deserves a happy mom, not a married one"), the lack of perspective from experts or other divorced parents can leave things feeling narrow. Still, the patience and encouragement on offer will be a boon to women feeling overwhelmed by the end of their marriage. Agent: Joelle DelBourgo, Joelle DelBourgo Assoc. (Jan.)