Taking readers on a provocative tour through thirty years of media images about mothers--the superficial achievements of celebrity moms, the sensational coverage of dangerous day care, the media-manufactured "mommy wars" between working mothers and stay-at-home moms, and more--The Mommy Myth contends that this "new momism" has been shaped by out-of-date mores and that no matter how hard they try, women will never achieve it. In this must-read for every woman, Susan J. Douglas and Meredith W. Michaels shatter the myth of the perfect mom.