I finally had a chance to read this book, (Melissa's eyes have been accusing me of not reading the book, from it's cover, for weeks, LOL) and boy am I glad I the opportunity to read it!
Synopsis:
When Melissa, was eight years old, she won the role of a lifetime: Playing Cassandra Cooper Ingalls, the little girl on the world’s most famous prime-time soap opera, Little House on the Prairie.
The life of a child star in the 1980s appeared to be charmed. However, in her memoir, Melissa tells the startling tale of a family under the care of a highly neurotic and dangerously competitive “tiger mother.” While Melissa thrived under pressure, her older sister -- who had tried her hand at acting and shrank from the limelight -- was often ignored by their mother in a shadow of neglect and disappointment.
It wasn’t until after Melissa had graduated from Harvard University with a degree in economics, found love, and married that her sister’s personal problems culminated in a life-and-death crisis. When Melissa realized the role her mother continued to play in her sister’s downward spiral, she resolved to end the manic, abusive cycle once and for all. Now the mother of two young
children, Melissa knows from personal experience that the key to raising
happy, confident and successful children is to respect each child for who they are, and avoid the one size fits all, pressure-packed approach.
Check out an interview with Melissa about the book on Fox News!
Review: Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter is described as The Glass Castle meets Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. I've only read the first, and not the latter, but I would say in many ways that is probably pretty accurate, as I kept thinking about The Glass Castle as I was reading the book! But you don't have to have read either of the books to enjoy this memoir and warning to mothers (for that is truly what it is). I will warn you that you will NOT be able to put it down once you start reading it. Melissa has a very approachable writing style that draws you in and sinks its hooks into you, and you can't let go.
Melissa has been brutally honest in documenting her childhood, and her dysfunctional 'how did they function?" family. I found myself wondering how no one even thought to ask if her mother needed medication to control her mood swings. Knowing that the condition of bi-polar can be inherited, I wonder if Melissa's mother also suffered from it, and had she been medicated, how much different Melissa and her sister's life would have been. Could the deadly spiral that her sister started in high school been averted? Would Melissa's life be different?
I wish there would have been more pictures of Melissa and her sister in the book, but due to the family circumstances, it is understandable why there aren't. This is a different type of memoir though- you will find yourself wondering how Melissa got through it all without a) killing her mother or b)ending up in a downward spiral herself. The fact that she is 'normal' speaks volumes about her inner strength and capabilities.
The last chapter is truly aimed at the value of motherhood itself. By sharing her story, she basically shows the side of caring 'too much', of when pushing a child to succeed turn into harming them emotionally, and destroying the child instead. I was caught short when she talked about an achor on the Today show (she politely doesn't mention which one), who was crushed emotionally when her mother called her to tell her she looked fat in the dress she had on air. Not you did a good job on the interview' or 'your hair looks nice', but a degrading comment that made her feel small and was not needed. As a mother, it's those 'little moments' that can have such DEEP impact, but most moms don't realize it, as they are acting out of love, not meanness (the other ones, well, people can be in needs of meds and niceness I suppose).
Review: Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter is described as The Glass Castle meets Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. I've only read the first, and not the latter, but I would say in many ways that is probably pretty accurate, as I kept thinking about The Glass Castle as I was reading the book! But you don't have to have read either of the books to enjoy this memoir and warning to mothers (for that is truly what it is). I will warn you that you will NOT be able to put it down once you start reading it. Melissa has a very approachable writing style that draws you in and sinks its hooks into you, and you can't let go.
Melissa has been brutally honest in documenting her childhood, and her dysfunctional 'how did they function?" family. I found myself wondering how no one even thought to ask if her mother needed medication to control her mood swings. Knowing that the condition of bi-polar can be inherited, I wonder if Melissa's mother also suffered from it, and had she been medicated, how much different Melissa and her sister's life would have been. Could the deadly spiral that her sister started in high school been averted? Would Melissa's life be different?
I wish there would have been more pictures of Melissa and her sister in the book, but due to the family circumstances, it is understandable why there aren't. This is a different type of memoir though- you will find yourself wondering how Melissa got through it all without a) killing her mother or b)ending up in a downward spiral herself. The fact that she is 'normal' speaks volumes about her inner strength and capabilities.
The last chapter is truly aimed at the value of motherhood itself. By sharing her story, she basically shows the side of caring 'too much', of when pushing a child to succeed turn into harming them emotionally, and destroying the child instead. I was caught short when she talked about an achor on the Today show (she politely doesn't mention which one), who was crushed emotionally when her mother called her to tell her she looked fat in the dress she had on air. Not you did a good job on the interview' or 'your hair looks nice', but a degrading comment that made her feel small and was not needed. As a mother, it's those 'little moments' that can have such DEEP impact, but most moms don't realize it, as they are acting out of love, not meanness (the other ones, well, people can be in needs of meds and niceness I suppose).
"What I have learned from a difficult childhood is that, no matter what has happened in the past, you can take charge of your life and be happy. Your life is your own. In fact, a tough past is actually a richness of experience to draw upon. You know what doesn't work," says Melissa. As she says, she has learned that her 2 sons are quite different from one another and the same parenting approach doesn't fit them. Much like her and her sister. Melissa has adapted her parenting strategies to each and urges us all to truly look at our kids after reading her book, and see where support is needed, and when it becomes pushing to harm.
This book will truly make you THINK about parenting in a different light, and also about early testing for mental/emotion/physical problems, and not turning a blind eye to them. Sometimes admitting we, or our kids are not perfect, is the first step to a happy childhood and life for everyone. I highly recommend this book to every parent, about to be parent, and those who just want an interesting read!
Melissa eventually left acting, earned a degree in Economics from Harvard University, and went on to a successful career as a broadcast journalist. Today, Melissa Francis lives in New York City with her husband and two children. She anchors two daily shows on the Fox Business Network, including Money with Melissa Francis, which covers the intersection of Wall Street and Main Street. Prior to her role at FOX Business, Melissa spent nine years at CNBC, where she anchored shows such as Power Lunch, The Call, and On the Money, and made regular contributions to the Today show and Weekend Today.
I loved this book so MUCH, I have to share it with a lucky reader!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge, from FSB Associatess, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it
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