Showing results by author "Rachaele Hambleton" in All Categories

This is a book about holding it together (or not) amidst the chaos. It's about my life and all I've learned, all I've got wrong, and everything that makes this mad, frustrating, wonderful patchwork family work. It's about the stuff we don't teach our kids in school, having heartbreaking conversations and healing from being broken. It's about all of us living these messy, amazing lives. It's never perfect, but it's magic and it's mine and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Hundreds of thousands of fans flock to the PTWM blog and Facebook page purely because Rachaele is genuine and incredibly honest and has created a supportive online community where parents (and non-parents) can go for respite. Her message is clear: not everyone is a perfect mum with a nice house, a steady marriage and 2.5 children. We lead messy, complicated lives. For Rachaele, blogging is about shining a light on very real ups and downs (from having fun with your beautiful kids and watching them grow to meltdowns, domestic violence, bullying and more). 

Jo said good-bye to peace and quiet when she got pregnant at 19, but now she has a chance to hit refresh. A partner she loves, five amazing kids and a house by the sea. But life is never simple and there is more than a little emotional baggage coming along for the ride. Starting with that t--t of an ex-husband who doesn't pull his weight. Then there's the untrained puppy, the work/life balance, a custody battle for the children and all the everyday ups and downs and chaos of being a patchwork family.