One of the best things about writing a book is the people who rally the wagons around you. This process wouldn’t have been as easy without my Mean Mom Team and those who helped get the word out with their blog reviews:
Lindsey Bell
Heather Kelly
Rebecca Lewis
Elaine Olsen
Janet Thompson
My second favorite-best thing? Creating FREE resources for my readers.
What makes the best resource? Something that encourages women to gather together–a tool to inspire conversation and laughter –but especially, a little something that helps each of us go deeper in our faith.
Yep, that’s the best kind of FREEBIE there is.
Click on the links below to download a FREE excerpt of my new book and fun printables to encourage your own Mean Mom journey.
The Mean Mom’s Guide to Raising Great Kids The Mean Moms Guide-excerpt
The Definition of a Mean Mom –The Definition of a Mean Mom – Printable
Parent/Child Social Media Contract – Downloadable PDF
The Mean Mom Bill of Rights – Downloadable PDF
FREE Mean Mom’s Leader’s Guide
My Interview above with Elizabeth Thompson.
If you’re a writer, or think you might be, this might just encourage you!
This is the book I so desperately needed as a young mom. Joanne gives moms permission and encouragement to do what they know in their hearts they need to do–set boundaries and stand firm when the going gets tough. Joanne writes from hard-won wisdom, compassion, and with a refreshing and disarming sense of humor. It will change your mothering.
–Melinda Means, co-author of Mothering from Scratch.
I’ve been a mean mom and I’ve been a marshmallow mom, and being a sweet, warm, easy-peasy permissive parent is much easier than being a firm, authoritative one. But kids need clear, thoughtful boundaries and a tough but loving mom to set those boundaries. That’s a tall order and morphing from a marshmallow into a meanie can be hard and confusing and even scary. How tough is too tough? How mean is too mean? FInally, with The Mean Mom’s Guide to Raising Great Kids, Joanne Kraft uses humorous and heartwarming stories from her own days in the trenches in this guide to a practical, consistent, wise, kid-tested approach to shaping the lives of her children. Use this book for a balanced approach to parental discipline and give your children the gift of a marshmallow-turned-meanie.
—Susy Flory is the author of seven books, including New York Times Best Selling book Thunder Dog.
Parenting today is tougher than ever. Social media seems to drive us Moms to want be perfect – and popular. This book gives Mom the okay to be mean – in fact, Joanne let’s us know that being called mean is, in fact, a compliment! And it’s more than just being okay with mean, Joanne teaches us to place God at the center of parenting as she shares personal stories. Both powerful and relatable, this book is my go-to gift for new Moms – I wish I’d had it when my girls were young.
Mary R Snyder — author of Authentic Girlfriends: Real Women finding Real Faith
With the wisdom of a cuddly grandma and the understanding of a very best friend, Joanne Kraft proves that mean truly is the new black…it looks good on everyone and comes in your size. Her new book, The Mean Mom’s Guide to Raising Great Kids, politely introduces old-school parenting tools to modern-day mama hearts. Its chapters are filled with tried and true techniques and honest (and often humorous) testimonies from moms of all makes and models. Readers will walk away with practical tips for real mom life… and a personal cheer squad.
Teasi Cannon, author of My Big Bottom Blessing: How Hating my Body Led to Loving my Life
Finally, there is a book that lovingly helps moms understand the value of standing firm in the right places and staying soft in others! Joanne breaks it down into the “why” and “how” of being a “mean mom” when we need to be. She challenges moms with to put into practice what we’ve always really known in our hearts: the mean mom is the one that loves through action. The mean mom may not be liked by her children for the day, but will love and respect her for a lifetime.”
Kathy Helgemo, author of Mothering from Scratch and co-founder of MotheringfromScratch.com
Joanne’s engaging and humorous writing is pacted with practical wisdom for women who want to be “mean”, successful moms. She shows us how to parent with our children’s future in mind.
Kathy Howard, author of six books, including “God is my refuge.”
Steeped in biblical truths and wisdom, Joanne Kraft shares from her own mothering mishaps and successes with blunt honesty and hysterical humor! The Mean Mom’s Guide to Raising Great Kids is packed with practical advice and examples that will help moms raise great kids with faith and confidence as they embrace this most high calling and challenging job of motherhood.
Dineen Miller, author of Winning Him Without Words, Not Alone and The Soul Saver
Joanne Kraft may call herself a mean mom but, in actuality, she’s a woman who loves her children and desires God’s best for their future. Her laugh-out-loud humor and transparency filled my mama’s heart with joy and hope. A “mean mom” is a mother who will raise her children to become young men and women who step into adulthood with honor, respect, love and godly character. A must read for every mom.
Lynn Donovan, author, Winning Him Without Words and Not Alone
As a marshmallow mom of two small children, The Mean Mom’s Guide could not have come at a better time for me. Joanne’s words are a beautiful mix of challenging and encouraging. Don’t let the title fool you, Joanne doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. But she is committed to doing the hard work of mothering well. For young moms this book is like sitting for hours with a trusted mentor. For experienced moms, this book is a field manual for walking out the toughest days on the job. A must read for all mothers, especially softies like me.
Jessica Wolstenholm: co-author, The Pregnancy and Baby Companion books and co-founder, GraceforMoms.com
The Mean Mom’s Guide to Raising Great Kids is what every mom who has ever toed the line between marshmallow and mean is in need of. It’s the book that tells me discipline is okay, rules are important, and setting boundaries for my oftentimes unruly kiddos is indeed, necessary. Even better? Author Joanne Kraft gets exactly where I’m at on this motherhood journey: the struggles I battle against as well as the problems I’m facing. With her relatable voice, words of encouragement, and sparkling wit, the adventure known as motherhood just got a whole lot easier…
Jenny Lee Sulpizio, author of For the Love of God and Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe.
“I won’t tell Joanne if you won’t, but this book really isn’t about being a mean at all. It’s really about being wise, persistent, tenacious, empathetic, compassionate and caring enough to want more for our kids. And being willing to go the extra mile to get them to a place where they can really see Jesus in their hearts. Full of funny stories and practical tips, I highly recommend this book for any mom who knows that God has big plans for her kids and will do whatever it takes to make sure those plans come to fruition.”
Erin MacPherson, author of Hot Mama and The Christian Mama’s Guide series.
