For the Love of October

Eat that tiny Kit-Kat and enjoy the monthly roundup of links and recs

For previous links and recs posts, you can go here.

Due to the upcoming November and December holidays, there will be no monthly roundup again until January…it will be a joyful, jam packed fun fest when it returns.

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Happy Halloween for those who celebrate! May your trick-or-treating go as smoothly as possible and your November 1st have as few over-tired, candy bonanza meltdowns as possible.

For those parents who have a kid who is a last minute costume switcher…it will be okay. I know, I’ve been there…I was a costume switcher:

The Costume Switch

On to the many things to read as you enjoy your private stash of tiny candy bars.

Photo by Behnam Norouzi on Unsplash

Stuff to read

Some of you may be aware that there is a political event in the United States happening soon? This month’s recommendation is How to Raise A Citizen (And why it’s up to you to do it)* by Lindsey Cormack. This book is such a crucial book for all families—no matter where you fall on the political spectrum. I have become highly selective about the parenting books I read and really weigh what value this book will bring me, my family or this newsletter space. This was a book of value. I have often felt ill-equipped and unsure of where to begin when it comes to politics and my kids. I imagine others do, too. I highlighted a whole bunch of this book but here is a quote from the introduction:

“Unlike the books that exist to help parents raise “sucessful” or “ivy league-bound” children, this book is different: it is intended for parents who are raising children, period. In 2020, about 65% of high school graduates decided to pursue college, but 100%—whether they liked it or not—have been and will continue to be a part of politics. We’re all in this system regardless of educational attainment, job status, or any other markers of adulthood. If we choose not to participate, politics still happens with us and through us—just maybe not in the way we want.”

When I get the highlighter out I mean business.

If you want to learn more about the book, you can read this interview with the author from

Melinda Wenner Moyer

.

And more things to read

• I loved this interview with writer Amy Stuber from

  Nancy Reddy
  about creative practices amidst parenting.

• I have not met a parent who has not received unwanted parent advice before, I appreciated this piece from

  Sara Petersen
  and contributors.

• This is a generous piece with a glimpse into families who are navigating the challenges of disabilities from

  Emily L. Kendall
  .

• Mother guilt…need I say more? This is great article from

  Amber Groomes,Ph.D.
  on the topic.

• This is such a valuable list of Fall Activities for Tired Moms from

  Chanel Riggle
  . She graciously reminds us that we can do less and still have memories.

Things to listen to

• I recently got

  Julia Turshen
  ’s new cookbook and I am in love with it. This is fun conversation between Julia and
  Virginia Sole-Smith
  on Burnt Toast:

• We all know how much I love thinking about care. This episode from

  The Mother of it All
  with
  Elissa Strauss
  was so so good.

This Month on A Wonderful Mess

• Oops, I Forgot to Meditate

• Perfect Pumpkin Patch Photos: What About the Rest of Us?

• Wandering Through the Noise

• RE: My Kid is Neurodivergent

• “Damn, my mom is acutally funny.”

• And the bonus paid subscriber podcast for the month is up. Sharing what we do with the Halloween candy, my new joyful reading accessory and what books I read in Ocobter.

  October Paid Subscriber Mini-Podcast

Holidays are coming

• Emily W. King, Ph.D.
  offered helpful guidance this month on A Wonderful Mess in RE:My Kid is Neurodivergent. And for those looking for additional guidance in raising neurodivergent kids check out her Substack,
  Learn with Dr. Emily
  . She offers monthly workshops on a range of topics including navigating the holidays. Here is the link to her holiday workshop from last year. And she will be hosting another one in the coming months. You can either purchase the one workshop or become a paying member and have access to the workshops all yearlong.

ICYMI

Today is the last day to take advantage of 20% a paid subscription.

And one more thing

This is by far my favorite holiday decoration. I could really just spend a whole day posing “Skelly” around the house and out in the world. And my one and only successful (note “successful”, not viral) Instagram reel involved Skelly last October. So thank you for your service, Skelly.

What’s your favorite holiday decor?

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*I am an affiliate of bookshop.org, if you purchase through this link I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you)

As always—Just a little reminder: The content on A Wonderful Mess posted by Dr. Kathryn Barbash, PsyD is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical, clinical, legal, or professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Reliance on any information provided is solely at your own risk. Always seek the advice of your licensed mental health professional or other qualified health provider.