Momzillas- Finished?

I couldn't help but finish the book last night! It was great. I'd love to dive into some of those discussion questions Michelle found...

I was so disappointed to have finished. I really enjoyed it but read it far too quickly! Don't want to make any comments incase someone is reading this before they finish...

I know what you mean, Natalie. I hate finishing books because I always wish they'd just keep going and going and going. Maybe I should start reading some of the really, really long classical literature instead so it took me longer!

I'm finished too. It was good - loved the ending. I'll post some of those questions I found tomorrow (they're on my work laptop).

I was going to start this thread this morning! Great minds huh? I haven't actually finished, but I'm really close. I will go ahead and finish it now, I was holding off.

So.....where are those questions?

OMG - I'm so sorry! With everything going on last week, I totally forgot.

Here are the book club questions I found. Not sure if we want to address all of them or what. Some of them are sort of "book report-like". I'll jump back on after my meeting & answer some myself.

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1. Do you know any momzillas? Are they exclusive to the posher neighborhoods of New York City, or can they be found everywhere? What’s the difference between a mom and a momzilla? Talk about the momzillas you know. What’s the best way to handle them?



2. Do you think the characters in the book are based on real people? Or are they caricatures? What’s the most outrageous act of Momzillahood in the book?



3. Despite her better instincts and common sense, Hannah soon finds herself swept up in the competitive craziness of high-stakes motherhood. Why is it so easy for mothers to fall pray to fears that they’re not doing enough for their kids (are they in the right schools, are they in the right extracurricular activities, etc.)?



4. How many momzilla-like traps have you fallen into? For example, what’s the most you’ve ever spent on an outfit for your toddler? What do you think of people who buy designer baby outfits and $1000 strollers? Why do you think they do this?



5. In the rarified world of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, what are the criteria for determining whether a woman is a “good mother”? What purpose does their competitive attitude serve? What does Hannah seem to think about the culture of American mommyhood?



6. In what way are parenting styles reflections of an adult’s overall outlook on life, as much as his or her concern for a child?



7. Discuss Hannah’s relationship with Lila, her mother-in-law. Why is this relationship–both in the novel and in real life–so fraught with tension? Is your own relationship with your in-laws a difficult one? If you had been in Hannah’s shoes, how would you have responded to Lila?

Love these questions, Michelle. Great!! I'll start...

3. Despite her better instincts and common sense, Hannah soon finds herself swept up in the competitive craziness of high-stakes motherhood. Why is it so easy for mothers to fall pray to fears that they’re not doing enough for their kids (are they in the right schools, are they in the right extracurricular activities, etc.)?

I think this is a "danger" we all face. It's natural to want to give our kids every advantage and be sure they are as safe, happy, healthy as possible. The hard part is when it goes beyond doing the stuff that's really needed and moving on to the really superfluous stuff like taking a newborn to the symphony so they can appreciate cultured music. We walk a fine line in our group sometimes because it's easy to want to do everything that everyone else is doing (like music classes, baby gym, swimming) but it might not be feasible for each family... I think we excel in not belittling those who don't or can't afford to do these things. We are awesome because we believe each mom is doing their best- these momzillas would eat us alive for being so nice!