Mother’s Day Read: Mama’s Got a Fake I.D.

**Today’s post is by Erin Scott – John’s wife.  She had the chance to write a review for Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira’s new book, Mama’s Got a Fake I.D.: How to Reveal the Real You Behind all That Mom
**

A great mom’s day gift…to say, “I get that your role is tough and you’re doing great!”

So I’ve been reading a book by Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira called Mama’s Got a Fake I.D. It’s perfect timing for me…just as Caryn took the time to write her book between naps and sitting on the toilet during bath time, I found the same time to read her book.  As a mother of two in the preschool stage, I completely understand this notion of feeling like no one sees me as more than a mother in this stage of my life.  I could completely identify with her story that was an impetus for her book in the first place.  She was at a hotel, extremely pregnant with her third and some strange man kept calling her mama.  Why do people insist on calling me mama when I’m pregnant?  Clearly I am not the only one this happens to, and it makes me just as mad as it did Caryn.  My line has become, “I’m not your mama!”

She got me really pumped about this whole notion of “losing my ID” in the first couple chapters, to the point of asking my husband his views on the matter.  He could not understand why I’m not content just being mom.  I was furious!  Of course I’m more than a mom.  It may be what I do all day every day, but gosh darn it, I am not just a mom!  After being so pumped about the topic, I felt like saying, “Amen sister!  No one gets who I am in the midst of this crazy life I call mommy hood.”

In the next couple chapters, I started wondering if maybe Caryn was just having a bad day when she wrote the book because it seemed she was just ranting about the unjustness of the world around us, putting labels on us moms and not seeing us for who we are.  And I started wondering if my husband was right…maybe I am just a mom and I can just suck it up and be content with that.

But I kept reading, and I feel like Caryn gave some real insight into the emotional roller coaster we moms call life.  I enjoyed her practical advice and personal insights that made me feel like I’m not crazy.  Other people do feel this way and it won’t always be this way.  In my head I know that, but it is so nice to be reminded of the fact every once in a while.

One thing I love is her christian perspective.  As a christian mom who is also in MOPS, I can identify with her quest to find herself.

And Caryn doesn’t hold any punches, she says the church is one major factor in us feeling like we don’t have our own identity.  This is where I started questioning her motive…whining or really solving a problem.  But to tell the truth, when’s the last time someone at church just asked about me and not my kids?  Wait, now I remember, but there are just a handful of  people that take the time to get to know me.  Caryn does put some of the responsibility back on us moms.  We have to let others know who we are, we can’t just blame others for not taking the initiative.  And we need to realize God has hemmed us in to this role right now for a purpose.  That’s hard to take on the days when I’ve had enough timeouts that I feel like we aren’t getting anywhere.

But the point is you ARE more than just mom, you are mom and ______.  Just fill in the blank, Caryn says.  It’s that simple.  And let people know who you are, because you are God’s creation and you are worth knowing!

**you can purchase the book at randomhouse.com**

Tags: Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira, Christian, Erin, mom, MOPS, mother, mother's day, parenting