Most human endeavors have been thoroughly studied, acknowledged, and appreciated . . . like the fact that every person born on planet earth is indebted to a mother and a father for the gift of life. After that, being the parent of human beings gets complicated, since humans are not bumble bees, daffodils or zebras, which have the appearance of looking like, learning like, and behaving like their fellow travelers, who 'belong' in the same batches.

In the case of human beings, each one is unique beyond the ability of science and dictionaries to explain or describe, so 'raising' one or even more than one of these unique individuals at a time will ever be the prelude to unpredictable adventures!

When Dan and Renee Hawkley’s oldest son graduated from high school, Renee submitted her first article, ’Graduation Day’ to ‘The Mountain Home News,’ where it was published and reprinted in Reader’s Digest and other magazines. The article prompted her ‘Mother’s Minutes’ column, published in newspapers, magazines and books.

Once Upon an Amateur Mom, is a collection of Renee’s uplifting, timeless, and light-hearted writings, offered with love and encouragement to all who are invested in the most frustrating, most fascinating and most fantastical world of parenting, no matter how long it takes, no matter how much it costs, no matter how many times you 'pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again!'

The purpose of this book is ‘community’ with those who share the ups and downs, hits and misses while being amateur parents. Renee’s writing is focused on the endless foibles, fun and frustrations of parenting, where each unique parent ‘learns the ropes’ with each unique child. We’ve earned our title as ‘amateur moms' because, after all —it’s our first time!