The Feminine Mistake Book Review

The Feminine Mistake by Leslie Bennetts was published by Hyperion in April, 2007. Leslie Bennetts contributes to Vanity Fair, Vogue, Good Housekeeping, Town and Country, and more.

Book Review: The Feminine Mistake by Leslie Bennetts

"The year our son was born, my husband left me," said Lucy Peters, a thirty-three year old homemaker with a toddler daughter and baby boy. "When he said, 'This isn't really what I want,' I was blindsided. It was like a classic midlife crisis – he was earning close to a million dollars a year, he had just turned forty, he bought a sixty-thousand-dollar Porsche, and he left in it. I didn't see it coming."

We're rarely prepared to be blindsided, whether we're stay-at-home moms or not.

According to Leslie Bennetts, author of The Feminine Mistake, getting blindsided isn't about ignoring warning signs, choosing the wrong partner, or following your heart instead of your head. Getting blindsided is letting yourself become economically dependent on your partner – this is the classic feminine mistake.

Avoiding the Feminine Mistake

Bennetts believes working mothers aren't making that mistake, but admits working moms perform a complicated, sometimes seemingly impossible juggling act. However, though working moms often struggle with feelings of guilt they also reap numerous rewards from their work. Identity, self-esteem, financial independence, professional accomplishments, intellectual stimulation and even healthier bodies are some benefits of working outside the home.

"I am not criticizing stay-at-home moms for placing the needs of their children above other considerations; I did so myself and I personally think every member of our society should give top priority to the care and education of our children," says Bennetts. Still, she says, "No matter what the reasons, it's simply too risky to count on anyone else to support you over the long haul."

In The Feminine Mistake Bennetts shares dozens of stories about working and stay-at-home mothers – and their children – and lets readers decide which road to take. But her message is clear: "Even if no worst-case scenarios come to pass, time goes by and toddlers become teenagers," says Bennetts. "That old question – what do you want to do with your life? – returns to haunt you once again."

Lucy Peters wishes she had protected herself better and chosen a meaningful career. Now, she's an entrepreneur who struggles to make ends meet and relies on her father for help, but she feels free and fulfilled. "I think working women are happiest, by far. They may feel stressed out and overwhelmed, but they're empowered and in control."

The Bottom Line in The Feminine Mistake

In The Feminine Mistake, Leslie Bennetts doesn't judge women for their choices. She does, however, share stories that drive home her belief: working moms enjoy more financial independence, professional growth, and personal fulfillment than stay-at-home mothers.

If you found The Feminine Mistake Book Review interesting, you might enjoy:

• Inspirational Quotations for Women
• Finding Your Identity
• Working Mothers Are Less Depressed

The Feminine Mistake by Leslie Bennetts

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