Book excerpt: Parenthood – the greatest adventure of all. While everyone else on social media is dressed neatly and smiling happily at the camera – the picture-postcard family – you’re chasing a half-naked toddler around and simultaneously trying to remove baby vomit from your shirt. Welcome to reality! In The Real Mum’s Guide to (Surviving) Parenthood, mum-of-seven Jen Hogan is your expert guide, sharing her candid perspective on the rollercoaster of parenthood – with all its ups and downs, challenges and rewards – from pregnancy to the teenage years. Humorous and sensitive, realistic and always ready with an anecdote, Jen is full of practical advice while also appreciating the emotional involvement in rearing children. She understands that what works for some children doesn’t for others, and includes realistic tools for overcoming certain hurdles. The Real Mum’s Guide to (Surviving) Parenthood covers all aspects of parenthood, including: Pregnancy, childbirth and miscarriageThe newborn stagePostnatal depressionAdjusting to the new ‘mum’ you and the importance of mum friendsToddler terrors and ‘threenagers’Adding to your brood and adjusting to the new family dynamicThe primary school yearsThe secondary school transition The Real Mum’s Guide to (Surviving) Parenthood is for all parents, from expectant mothers to parents of teenagers.