This is the parenting book I wish I had had when my now grown child was little. I’ve followed Gwenna for sometime on social media and was happy to get the chance to read her book. It’s written with her normal wry humor and permission to release your own guilt. I would recommend this book to anyone with young children.

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

A great parenting book that allows you to release some of the guilt that often accompanies motherhood. Written with snark and sarcasm that allows you to laugh while relating to some of the not so fun parts of parenting. The author describes her take on reactive vs responsive parenting and the summaries of each chapter were very nice. Thank you net galley for the ARC.

Not for me. My kids are grown and I thought this sounded funny but I just didn't get it. Too much handwringing.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve followed Momma Gwen on TT for years now! I love that she’s released a book allowing us further into her life. She’s so witty and entertaining!

I've followed Momma Gwen on TT for several years now and this books just brings to life her personality in written form. You've heard her give a few of these instructions and methods behind her parenting in her TT so I knew this book would be the real her. There is no right or wrong way to parent and each kid is different. So having these different ideas and solutions can work for all.

I will preface this by saying that while I was previously aware of Gwenna, I don't have a TikTok so was not super familiar with her work or style. I loved this book though-- I occasionally found the internet lingo a bit grating, but I totally get that that's part of her brand. The content itself was great, and she has a voice full of humor, compassion, and candor that made this a rare example of a parenting book that just felt 'real'. I am for sure going to buy a hardcopy for myself to reference moving forward.

I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great read. The author did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

If you have found Gwenna on Tiktok or Instagram you know how absolutely hilarious she is. This book is just as great as her social media content, but is actually so full of really great advice. I think every parent needs something like this to help them see the bright and funny side of life.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this book. I loved it! I appreciate a raw/honest portrayal of parenting. Gwenna lays it out pretty honestly here, we are all human making mistakes and figuring out this parenting thing one day at a time. The best thing to read for a "how to" on parenting is someone who isn't giving you all the ways to be perfect but instead all the ways to be open to growth and learning. I will definitely recommend this one to my fellow parent friends - especially those in my age bracket because Gwenna speaks directly to readers/parents like us!

I don’t currently follow this author on social media (where she got her start in the world of being a parenting “unexpert”) but after reading this book I think I need to start.

There’s a lot of information on parenting out there, so much in fact that it can be overwhelming. What I liked most about this book is that the author clearly states that some of the techniques described might work for your family, but it’s okay if they don’t - and that YOU are the parenting expert on your child. I was drawn to this particular book because of the relatability & humor (sometimes cussing just makes things better) & I appreciated the chapter summaries - they really reinforced the points she was trying to get across. I also found the discussion of the nuances of parenting lingo (examples: responsive parenting is not permissive parenting, the difference between Mom Guilt & Mom Shame, & regulating emotions does not mean suppressing them) to be helpful. It also made me take a step back & think about my overall parenting goals, & I’d recommend it to anyone that feels like more emotional regulation would be helpful in their lives.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I don't really read non-fiction in any capacity. In fact, most of the time I ignore the genre altogether because I find that my mind tends to wander easily and I can't focus on what I'm reading for long. Momma Cusses took me a while to get through, but I was able to stick it out until the end.

This book is a great pick for parents in that Gwenna Laithland is both honest and direct in what she has to say about raising her own children. It's not a How-To kind of book, but a letter from one parent to another on things that helped her, maybe it might help someone else, and moms helping moms is just amazing. We need more of that.

Me personally, I found the book both helpful and tiresome. Mostly, the chapters were easy to get through, with field guide notes/anecdotes talking about situations/incidents that happened with her and her kids, There's a TL;DR box at the end of each chapter that summarizes the basic things she's trying to say in that chapter. And lastly, the chapters are short and to the point.

My biggest complaint was that I found the humor incorporated into the writing to be rather blah. But other than that, I think this is a book that a lot of parents should take a look at. It helped me take a good long look at myself and how I raise my own children.

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

Pretty sure the last parenting book I read was What To Expect When You're Expecting: The Second Year, in 2018. I hadn't heard of Momma Cusses before receiving the ARC, so I had no clue what I was getting in to. I hadn't even heard of responsive parenting. But "Trying not to be the reason your kid needs therapy" sold me.

The 2nd person POV combined with "But Gwenna"…I kept hearing it in Jenna Moreci's "But Jenna" voice. But I assure you, that's where this parenting book's overlap with fantasy romance ends. 🤣

She says, "You didn't ask for my opinion, although you kinda did since you're reading my book," and that both cracked me up and opened my eyes. Reading a parenting book DOES mean looking for options and opinions. And thankfully, hers resonated with me.

Things that stuck out to me:

You may not be a parenting expert, but you are THE expert on your own kid.

Responsive parenting 🚫 permissive parenting.

Responsive parenting means regulating your own emotions, in order to model how your child can regulate theirs. Not losing your ish on your kid because they make a choice that they maybe shouldn't have/could have thought through more/you wouldn't have, etc, but allowing them age appropriate autonomy to make choices with natural consequences.

You can create boundaries with other adults that call upon emotional regulation, in the vein of what YOU need, not what they need. You cannot train an adult to emotionally regulate themselves by trying to parent them. You can help and encourage, but it's their job to do the work.

I underlined and drew brackets all over this book; highly recommend for anyone who wants to teach their kids to make responsible decisions with consequences in mind, and to handle their emotional. rollercoaster without flying off the tracks.

Thank you @macmillanusa, @stmartinsessentials
and Gwenna, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I stumbled across Laithland on my For You Page with her videos discussing her daughter’s chaos lunches. Many of her videos are relatable to this mom of two. When I learned she was writing a book, I was happy for her and knew I wanted to read it.

Momma Cusses is an easy read, none of that technical jargon many parenting books contain. Laithland uses the same language in her book as she uses in her videos. She’s down to earth, and no-nonsense. While some may find her use of some words offensive, the title of the book lets you know it’s there without ever reading a one page.

Who is this book for? Any parent or parent-like person who is trying to raise the next generation. Trust me, this is a book you will appreciate having read.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this!

I really enjoyed this down to Earth, easy to relate to, and irreverently toned parenting advice. As someone who struggles to be a "gentle parent" I felt very seen, even if I don't know that I saw much new or exciting.

Move over reality TV and let's enjoy reading something REAL. Gwenna Laithland is down to earth and funny in that way that only someone who has lived through some stuff and come out on the other side can be. I'd welcome her to my island of real and relatable mom friends forever.

Absolutely loved this book! I’ve followed Gwenna on TikTok for forever so when I saw her book, I knew I had to read it. There’s so much goodness packed into this book that has helped me be not only a better mom but a better person in general. 100 stars to this book!!!

thank you for net galley and st martins press for this copy. i found gwennas voice to be refreshing, fun and engaging. i appreciated the TLDR notes at the end of each chapter. this book will help me be a better person to other people. it taught me some regulation (co regulation but it would help if i did it just by myself!) techniques as well as other tools i think will be useful

(3.5/5 stars) Every so often when I scroll through Instagram reels, I see reels from Gwenna Laithland on parenting and how to endeavor to be a responsive parent, not a reactive parent. Though I don't have any kids (for the goodreads lurkers, don't take this as a pregnancy announcement!) I found this book helpful not only for thinking about how I would interact with children but also thinking about myself - recognizing and responding to my own emotions, giving myself grace, and breaking unhealthy cycles that previous generations thought was just normal. Is Laithland an expert? No - and she's the first one to tell you that. She encourages readers to take what is useful and leave behind what is not. After all, you are the expert on your own children and experience. I appreciated the humor and straightforward nature of the book; Laithland makes suggestions that are realistic and implementable.

I think the part that stuck with me most was the importance of apologizing and asking for forgiveness - no parent, no human, is perfect and the example parents set when they recognize their mistakes, apologize, and attempt to do better, is refreshing in a world where it seems that parenting strategies have to be perfect or you're a failure as a parent (Laithland's discussion differentiating between parent guilt and parent shame is good for this).

I have followed Gwenna Laithland on tiktok since quarantine. She was probably the first person I ever heard about gentle parenting from. At the time of quarantine, I had a 1 year old and 3 year old boys of my own and a house full of kids (teens) that were not mine biologically, but I was in charge of. I was so thankful for the parenting advice. Fast forward to 2023 as I sit and read her book. My boys are now 5 & 7. I didn't grow up with gentle parenting. I've spent many years trying to rewire my brain to parent in a way that I can only hope will be successful and healthy for my boys. The topics in Momma Cusses speak to my heart and soul. I just told a friend today that I feel I could read this book yearly and get something different and helpful each time. There are parts of this book that I'm going to copy and hang up where I see them regularly to commit to memory because they are just that impactful and I believe bennificial to me becoming a more gentle parent. I love that Gwenna speaks from the heart and in no way makes the reader feel condemned for their current situations or reactions to their children. The way each chapter is written is as if you are sitting with the author over a cup of coffee just having a chat. She tells funny stories and gives advice and examples. This book was exactly what I needed and often wished for when it came to parenting books. I look forward to picking up this book again and again as my kids get older, and as I truly believe, personal growth will follow reading these pages. Thank you, Gwenna, for the time you've given to put your thoughts to paper for us parents looking for a healthier way to raise our kids. Thank you, Netgalley, for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review. 5 Stars