Amber Khan, Author of Guilt Free Motherhood

Today we are interviewing Amber Khan, author of "Guilt Free Motherhood: A 5 step guide to reclaiming your time, health & well-being."

Tell us a bit about yourself.
Amber Khan is a Lifestyle Mentor, Speaker, Author, sports enthusiast and a proud mum of three.

She is the founder of Guilt Free Living which provides tools for the mothers to help them live a fulfilling, healthy & energised lifestyle.

She has ran retreats, given talks and written articles on the importance of wellness and how to re-energise the tired minds and bodies of mothers.

Amber currently resides in London, UK with her husband and their three children.

Describe the purpose of your book in a few sentences.
The book is written for mothers who fall through the trap of mummy guilt. I wrote the book because I believe that a mother's journey should not be, and need not be, a GUILT trip. Guilt Free Motherhood gives mothers the tools they need to start living a more contented, healthy and energized lifestyle today – right in the midst of motherhood.

Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
Mothers & their partners.

What inspired you to write a book about “Mummy Guilt”?
Unfortunately, I’ve been there & got the t-shirt. My health started to suffer seriously under the pressure of mummy guilt & after years of neglect I finaly realised that taking care of self is even more if not as much important as looking after your family. Other mums started to notice the change in myself & my lifestyle & started asking questions. After answering hundreds of questions on one to one basis, I realised that I could help a lot more mums if I just write about it all. The rest as they say is history.

Why do you think so many mothers feel pressure to be a “super mum”? Where does this pressure come from?
Mums these days have got a lot on their plates. Add to that peer pressure (from fellow mums) & most succumb to it, resulting in a guilt ridden mum. The pressure to be like other mums, to do what they do, how they do it & how to do it all creates the need to be a super mum. Mum can do it all is a mantra in majority of the households putting even more pressure on mums & the need to be a super mum.

Do you think modern media, including social media, has influenced mothers’ ideas about how they should care for themselves and their children?
Yes media plays a big role. Personalities like Martha Stewart have heavily influenced mothers telling them that they can do it all. Like, why buy cakes for kid’s school bake sale when you can bake them yourself? Or why buy baby food when you can puree’ food yourself?

I’m not saying not to do those things. But if you are already overwhelmed & over extended with the number of tasks & responsibilities you have then such things can give way for easier options. No one will know if you bought the cakes or baked them yourself. There are some great organic options available for baby food so if on days you can’t puree’ baby food, it is ok to feed them ready made jars. Trust in yourself that you are doing the best you can & the actions you are taking are for the best of your family and your own sanity.

What are some of the consequences of being a “super mum”?
The consequences are pretty serious for most mothers. Being a super mum for too long may result in stress which can then result in burnout, health decline (both physical & mental).

How do you think reading your book will impact people?
Well I hope that mothers around the world find it helpful in the sense that they do not feel the need to be a super mum in order to be a good mum. If they do so, their health & well-being will flourish. Plus they will have more time to spend with their family or to do something they enjoy like taking on a new course for example.

What do you have in mind for your next writing project?
Funny you asked that. I’m already onto it but it won’t be about parenting but about running a profitable online business. As lots of mothers often ask me about working from home, or change of career after having babies, what is the possibility of going self-employed & how to do it? It won’t necessarily be just for mothers but they can equally benefit.

More Information
Visit the Guilt Free Motherhood website