Rage Against the Minivan

Learning to Parent Without Perfection

By: Kristen Howerton

Narrated by: Kristen Howerton

“Howerton writes unflinchingly about what it means to be raising children in today’s world and how to liberate ourselves from the myth of perfect motherhood.”—Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed and Love Warrior, founder of Together Rising

In this smart and subversively funny memoir, Kristen Howerton navigates the emotional and sometimes messy waters of motherhood and challenges the idea that there’s a “right” way to raise kids. Recounting her successes, trials, mishaps, and hard-won wisdom, this mother of four advocates for letting go of the expectations, the guilt, and the endless race to be the perfect parent to the perfect child in the perfect family.

This book is for
● the parent who loves their kids like crazy but feels like parenting is making them crazy, too
● the parent who said “I will never . . .” and now they have
● the parent who looks like they have it all together but feels like a hot mess on the inside
● the parent who looks like a hot mess on the outside, too
● the parent who asks Am I good enough? Doing enough? Doing it right? What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with these children? Are they eighteen yet?

With her signature blend of vulnerability, sarcasm, and insight, Howerton shares her unexpected journey from infertility to adoption to pregnancy to divorce to dealing with the shock and awe of raising teens. As a mom of a multiracial family and as a marriage and family therapist, she tackles the thorny issues parents face today, like hard conversations about racism, disciplining other people’s kids, the reality of Dad Privilege, and (never) attaining that elusive work/life balance. Rage Against the Minivan is a permission slip to let it go and allow yourself to be a “good enough” parent, focused on raising happy, kind, loving humans.

Ya Gotta Listen to This!!

I loved it—from the first word to the last! And I wanted more. lol So real. So relatable. So touching and entertaining all at the same time. I’m an adoptive mom and I connected with this story at every twist and turn. It’s a story for everyone.

So so funny and relatable, finished it in 2 days.

LOVED this... laughed, cried, and felt so seen as a mom of 3. If you’re looking for a humorous, witty, honest, and real conversation about parenthood try this out!

Wonderful essays about parenthood

I loved this book!! I felt parts of it in my soul. I will listen to it again. So many pieces to help one through the hard times and to hold gratitude in life. Love love love!

The relating stories of parenthood

I’m not a parent but I’m glad I read this book helps to prepare lol if that’s even real lol

Realistic

I love how realistic she is as a mom, and also as a Christian. She curses now and then, not enough to make the book sound weird, and I think that's good in a way because even though she's a Christian, she's not pretending she's perfect. I loved hearing about her family and how she got her kids.