Shake-up some Aftermath martinis or a round of Pelvic Floors because “Moms’ Night In” just got even better! Here are some discussion questions to get the conversation started at your own Martinis & Motherhood Book Club.
Why not host a night of Wonder, another of Woe, followed by a final WTF?! night? Or you can cover the whole book, all at once, martinis (or mocktinis) in hand!
We’d also love to have you join us at Shannon Day’s Martinis & Motherhood FB each Tuesday night from 8:00 – 9:00 EST where we’ll feature a story/author each week!
Tales of Wonder
Best Laid Un-Plans (p. 5) ~ Alison Huff
- What was the first emotion you felt when you found out you were going to be a mother?
- What frightened you most about becoming a mother?
Purse Person, Plural (p. 10) ~ Jocelyn Pihlaja
- In your experience, do males and females have different attitudes about shopping, or does it depend on the individual more than the gender?
- Kids in middle school get a bad rap. When you think about yourself, or your kids, in middle school, what kinds of things were actually really, really good?
A Mother’s Wandering Mind of Wonder (p. 16) ~ Leigh- Mary Hoffmann
- As a parent, what are your biggest fears for your children?
- What makes your child “imperfectly perfect” in your eyes?
Stealing Time (p. 21) ~ Louise Gleeson
- Were you always clock watching in the early days of motherhood? Or waiting for your child to “get to the next stage”?
- Share a memory of when you noticed yourself losing track of time with your little one and feeling glad that you did.
The Donkey is Strong in This One (p. 25) ~ Magnolia Ripkin
- What traits do you see in yourself or your children that harken back to your ancestors? (physical or personality)
- What funny habit do you see in your family that is replicated from previous genes?
A Mother’s Intuition (p. 31) ~ Angila Peters
- Describe a moment of mother’s intuition that came true.
- What were some of your thoughts the moment that you met your first baby?
Life is Like a Bowl of Ramen Noodles (p. 36) ~ Lauren Stevens
- What are some of the things that you like to do with your kids on a cold or rainy day inside?
- What are some of your favorite memories from your own childhood?
Of Woman Grown (p. 41) ~ Shannon Drury
- When you were pregnant, what food did you eat in massive amounts?
- When did you realize that yours was NOT, in fact, the ONLY pregnancy that mattered in the history of creation (if ever)?
The Saga of the Socks (p. 47) ~ Sarah Deveau
- What strategies do you use to diffuse your emotions when your kids are tap dancing on your very last nerve?
- Think about the last time you were anxious about something – what helped you cope?
We Could Stay Here All Day (p. 52) ~ Tricia Mirchandani
- Describe a memory of a moment with your kid(s) that you captured despite all the things on your “To-do list.”
- What is your favorite way to spend the first morning moments of the day?
Abuelo in Our Hearts (p. 57) ~ Cordelia Newlin de Rojas
- What is the family tradition/holiday/thing you are thrilled your kids experience thanks to living near family /or miss most if you live far from them?
- If you could live anywhere in the world with your kids, where would it be?
The Wonder Part of Wonderful (p. 63) ~ Lynn Morrison
- Was there a moment when you realized your child was no longer a baby?
- What aspect of your child (children) growing-up do you look forward to?
Tales of Woe
When Family Fun Fails (p. 71) ~ Kate Parlin
- What’s your craziest (or most disappointing) story of failed family fun?
- If you could only eat one kind of fair/festival/carnival food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
And, Brace Yourself… (p. 76) ~ Shannon Day
- Have you mastered the 15-minute makeover? What is your go-to outfit/hairstyle?
- How often do you go out without the kids? And what do you like to do?
Seesh—A Love(y) Story (p. 81) ~ Jen Dean
- How long did your kids hang-on to their lovey?
- What happened when his/her lovey went missing?
Double Trouble (p. 87) ~ Tara Wilson
- What unique challenges do multiples present to a mom? If you could choose, would you prefer to have twins or kids one at a time?
- Share a time that your kids worked together to outsmart you (or when you and a sibling outsmarted your parents).
French Women Don’t Get Fat (p. 94) ~ Vicki Lesage
- What was your secret (or not-so-secret) food indulgence when you were pregnant?
- Do you think there’s too much pressure on new mamas to get back in shape right after the baby is born? Did you feel pressured?
When the Shit Hits the Fan Wall (p. 99) ~ Tamara Schroeder
- Did your child ever go through a nasty phase that threatened your sanity?
- What is the grossest part of parenthood, for you?
The Popsicle Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree (p. 103) ~ Brooke Takhar
- What would you change about your high school experience?
- What trait do you have that you PRAY your child does not inherit?
Who Needs a Facial? (p. 107) ~ Carolyn Mackenzie
- What is your worst kid-vomit story?
- When was the last time you pampered yourself?
When Rote Goes Right (p. 112) ~ Sara Park
- Has your child ever had a temper tantrum SO EPIC that it made you question every parenting decision you’ve ever made?
- Has your child ever repeated an inappropriate word or phrase in public?
Inadequate Conception (p. 118) ~ Lori LeRoy
- What was the hardest part about bringing a child into your life?
- What weird or gross thing do you secretly relish because it means you are fully embracing motherhood (and that you get to be a mom)?
A Turtle-y Awesome Valentine’s Day (p. 123) ~ Abby Bird
- Do you have a legendary “poop story” about your child or a child you know?
- Do you think parents today are too judgmental of each other? Why or why not?
When do I Get to Slumber? (p. 127) ~ Kristen Hansen Brakeman
- Have you ever hosted a slumber party for any of your kids? How did it go?
- What were some of the things that went wrong/well at the slumber party?
New Parent’s Survival Guide (p. 132) ~ Christina Antus
- What was the craziest/hardest thing about the first few weeks with your new baby?
- What’s the one thing you never thought you’d be able to do as a mom?
Tales of WTF?!
The Vagina Games (p. 139) ~ Lisa Webb
- Has there ever been a moment when you’ve thought: “Maybe I could benefit from some Vagina Games?”
- What was the most shocking/surprising aspect of your pre and postnatal care?
Bug House (p. 145) ~ Andrea Mulder-Slater
- What have you secretly hated but pretended to love for the sake of your children?
- What (horrible) beasts have your children brought into the house?
All Quiet on the Potty Front (p. 150) ~ Sarah del Rio
- Did your kids’ potty training experiences ever get out of hand?
- When you are engulfed in the trenches of parenthood, what helps keep you afloat?
Sunday, Bloody Sunday (p. 156) ~ Dr. Jess Kapp
- Have you ever had a moment when you were truly concerned about the actions of your child?
- Have you ever overreacted to a situation and broken one of your rules (such as, no cursing in front of the kids)? What drove you to do it?
Bedtime Routine (p. 161) ~ Lisa Carmody Doiron
- Have you ever had an incident involving a baby monitor?
- What do you do once the kids have gone to bed?
The Scary, the Funny, and the Ridiculous (p. 166) ~ Olga Mecking
- Have you ever been in a situation that was at the same time scary, funny, and ridiculous?
- Do you think scary, funny, and ridiculous are synonymous with motherhood?
A Baby, Broken Boobies, and Beastly Breastfeeding Battles (p. 170) ~ Kathryn Leehane
- When your babies were little, did you ever face any beastly feeding challenges (breast, bottle, baby food)?
- Did your mother-in-law (or anyone else) make sly comments to you when you were a new mom? How did you handle it?
The Sweet Surprises of Childhood (p. 176) ~ Susanne Kerns
- What is your most tried and true method of getting your kids to take a nap?
- If your child took five hour naps, every day, what would you do to fill the time?
Just Another Day in Motherhood Paradise (p. 180) ~ Holly Rust
- What usually makes you late when getting your kids ready in the morning?
- How do/did you handle accidents while potty training?
The Talk, the Face, and the Mile High Club (p. 185) ~ Kristine Laco
- Who gave you ‘The Talk’? What would you have done differently?
- Who is responsible for talking about sex with the kids, in your house? Why?
Wreck the Halls—A Tale of Christmas WTF?! (p. 189) ~ Jill Robbins
- Do you find yourself having unrealistic expectations about holiday celebrations? Explain.
- What is the worst toddler mess you’ve ever had to clean up? And, did there ever come a time when you found it funny?
My Son: Evil Genius or Cat? (p. 196) ~ Kim McDonald
- Has your child ever sought revenge in a unique way?
- Which part of parenting small children do/will you miss? Which do/will you not miss?
If you’d like to order a Kindle or print copy of Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?!, head over to Amazon.
Also, honest reviews are very much appreciated and can be left on Amazon. Let us know what you think!
Tipsy Squirrel Press 
Reblogged this on Shannon Day's Martinis & Motherhood.
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