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Judy Haveson
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Oldest Mom On The Playground Paperback – September 23, 2024

by Judy Haveson (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 12 ratings
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Judy Haveson always believed she would one day “have it all.” Then she turned forty and wondered if she had waited too long. After countless failed first dates and fewer second ones, she finally found love, got married, and became a mother at forty-three.

Oldest Mom on the Playground is a collection of relatable, heartwarming, and humorous essays. Written in her signature conversational style and with a touch of sarcasm, Judy takes readers on her journey of getting pregnant after forty (and delivering the baby during a full moon), raising a child in New York City (including the time she lost him in a grocery store and found him standing on Broadway), leaving the career she spent decades building to volunteer as a preschool class rep, to becoming a card-carrying member of the sandwich generation.

Judy offers no parenting advice, only personal reflection. And she takes nothing in her life for granted. Her message to other midlife mamas is this: trust your gut, let your life experience guide you, and pray no one ever mistakes you for the grandmother.
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  1. Print length
    310 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    September 23, 2024
  4. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.78 x 8 inches
  5. ISBN-13
    979-8986624952
  6. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Humorous, entertaining, and often surprisingly poignant, the essays included in Oldest Mom On The Playground detail Judy Haveson's triumphs, tragedies, and frequent misadventures as an older-than-average first-time mother. With wit, honesty, and just a touch of creative license, Haveson explores a diverse range of topics and issues, all of which have been impacted to some extent by motherhood, focusing on sharing experiences and fostering camaraderie rather than on giving advice. The essays included in Oldest Mom On The Playground are an eclectic bunch, meaning that there's something to suit almost every mood. Through a canny combination of humor and pathos, Haveson's writings manage to feel both personal and universal, like a good friend offering some much-needed encouragement and understanding. Plus, there are a lot of laughs to be had from her exploits. - Manhattan Book Review

A charming and emotional collection of essays about arriving late to motherhood, Oldest Mom On The Playgroundby Judy Haveson recounts the author's experience of getting pregnant after forty, leaving her career, and finding herself a mom late in life. Haveson's stories could at times work for parents of any age, as she talks of trusting your instincts and intuition, in addition to the wisdom of experience, but the book will be most recognizable and inspiring for those women who wait to have children, offering recognizable anecdotes about the hectic balance of raising children when you're not quite as sprightly. Written with a tone that is both sardonic and intimate, Haveson's personal reflections are relatable, amusing, and inspiring, approaching motherhood as a wonderful challenge at any age. - Self-Publishing Review


Oldest Mom On the Playground by Judy Haveson is a compilation of stand-alone essays. After decades of living a single life and building her career, Haveson decided to pursue family goals. She discusses her pregnancy losses, the birth of her child, and the challenges she faced as she transitioned into life as a mother in her middle years. Judy doesn't offer parenting advice; she simply shows it's never too late to fulfill your dreams. - Readers' Favorite


For readers who enjoy quick-witted novels about motherhood, Judy Haveson's Oldest Mom on the Playground should be at the top of your reading pile. The essays don't follow a linear order, making it easy for readers to select chapters in any order. Moreover, Haveson's vast array of topics from varying stages of Jack's life (newborn to teen, etc.) provides an immersive reading experience. Don't miss out on this one! - reader Views Book Review Blog


An honest look at the highs and lows of parenting on a different timeline. Written in a conversational style, Haveson has a talent for engaging with us. She is funny and charming, making it feel like chatting with a new friend. There are entertaining anecdotes shared throughout, especially as she talks about their neighborhood in New York City's Upper West Side. The reader cannot help but feel Nora Ephron's influence coming through the pages. - Independent Book Review

About the Author

Judy Haveson is the award-winning author of Laugh Cry Rewind-A Memoir. She is known for her sarcastic humor and enjoys sharing stories about her life experiences and observations. Her fascination with storytelling comes from her decades-long career in public relations. Judy once had a boss tell her that there are two types of people: those who know and those who want to know. That boss fired her, but his words became a valuable lesson to always aim to be the one who knows. Judy lives in Hampton Bays, NY, with her husband, Adam, son, Jack, and beloved Yorkie, Toby.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D977N6LQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ J Press Books (September 23, 2024)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 310 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986624952
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.78 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 12 ratings

About the author

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Judy Haveson

Judy Haveson

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I'm Judy Haveson, a proud Texan living in New York.

My fascination with compelling storytelling plays well with my lifelong communications career of promoting products, services, companies, and individuals spanning various areas and industries, including non-profits, travel & hospitality, entertainment, fashion & retail, authors, and even rock stars and rap artists. You'll have to read the book for details on that last piece of information.

I love to share stories about life's observations and experiences that never seem to amaze me. These stories focus on living in New York City, raising my son, and self-publishing my first book and life.

I will never lose my southern charm or accent and use both when the situation absolutely calls for it. I once had a boss tell me that there are two types of people in the world: those who know and those who want to know — be the one who knows. That boss fired me, but his words have always stuck in my head. I've been addicted to current events and People magazine ever since, and not necessarily in that order.

I like to think I'm witty, but many call it sarcastic. You decide! I thought I would be a journalist until my first journalism professor told me to pick a new major. He said I'd be an editor's nightmare because I wrote as I talked and never stopped talking. According to my parents, this fact makes sense because I was an early talker. Those close to me have no problem believing this bit of trivia.

The most important things to me in life are (in no particular order): family, loyal friendships, staying fit to always appear younger than I am, a good cut and color, cavity-free dentist appointments, spectator sports (mainly football), travel, my son's infectious smile and laugh, and good food and wine (or a dirty, vodka martini) along with the company of great friends to enjoy it all.

​

Life is a crazy journey, but as my wise mama once told me — a long time ago — while there are many things we can't change, our hair color isn't one of them. And I always listen to my mama.

​

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
12 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • mhill
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Every mom will relate to this beautifully written book. I laughed and cried as I related Judy's journey to my own experience of motherhood and I found myself nodding in agreement about the joys, struggles, and everything in between. Whether you are a new or established mom, young or one of the oldest on the playground, the theme of friendship, family, love, fear, and the ups and downs of life will remind you of the magic of motherhood.
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  • a helpful stranger
    4.0 out of 5 stars Personal and intimate
    Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    The author holds nothing back during this frank, honest discussion of parenthood over forty. Even if you're not a parent you'll find something to relate to in this novel; she doesn't preach, only gives her hardwon advice.
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  • Jbrown_leo
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not so relatable
    Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2024
    As a 40 year old mom of a toddler, I thought this memoir sounded interesting. Reading another mom’s perspective about the being an older mom was an intriguing concept. I also had some things in common with the author: I live in south Texas, I lived in NYC and I have a parent that lives in south FL. That’s about where there similarities end. The author, after having her child, had a nanny constantly caring and raising her child, she is very privileged and doesn’t seem to have many real struggles. I am in no way knocking her for this. Good for her, she has been blessed…but it makes relating to her in any way very difficult. So although I am also an older mom, I had struggles and difficulties that the author didn’t because a nanny did a lot of the day to day work with her child.

    Also, the author was very repetitive, almost like she couldn’t trust that the reader could remember what they read just a few pages back. This happened several time with several subjects, like COVID, Jack’s blood disorder, the sandwich generation, and phrases like “I said to Adam…” and “Growing up in Texas/Houston…” When someone would reappear in the narrative, she would almost reintroduce them every time. It was annoyingly repetitive.

    Finally, the story isn’t written linearly which was frustrating, especially toward the end of the book. She began, it had seemed, discussing about things in a chronological order, but as the book progressed, she began to bounce back-and-forth between when she was younger when her son was younger again, or she would go forward to when he was in middle school. It was just kind of all over the place. Towards the beginning/middle of the book an incident happened with her son where they ended up in the ER and she mentioned the blood disorder her son had. Then almost towards the end of the book, she explained another incident when they ended up at the ER but that occurred before the first one she mentioned. And when she brought this one up, she explained all their concerns like I didn’t just read about it.

    Her story was very interesting and there were things that I enjoyed reading about. I really think a big majority of the problem that I had with this book was an editing issue. If she had someone to edit this more efficiently and help her re-organize it, take out some of the repetitiveness, you can move past the unrelatable-ness part because she does have an interesting story here.
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  • Sv
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hysterical and relatable
    Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2024
    This book was pretty darn funny. As an older mom myself, having had my kids at 34 and 38, I immediately wanted to read this book as I knew I could relate. It was even more enjoyable b/c we have many things in common. We’re both boy moms, Jewish and from Houston suburbs.

    I love her sarcastic wit and honesty. Being a mom isn’t glamorous or easy and being a working mom seems a lot harder. You miss out on a lot of milestones.

    My kids are still young so I can relate to Judy’s younger years with Jack and I’m looking forward to seeing how my older years go with my boys. Like her, I didn’t have a bat mitzvah but I plan to as an adult one day. I’m looking forward to my own kids though, just as she was. It’s a huge achievement in their lives.

    This was a really funny and touching book and Judy’s sense of humor is a little bit like Erma Bombeck, which she would find to be a compliment. If you don’t know who that is, then you’re way too young. I’m too young to appreciate her, lol, but my mom was a huge fan of hers which is how I found her books. Judy definitely has the same type of humor and I enjoyed it. It was nice to NOT feel like the only old mom on the playground.

    I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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  • Kelly J. Pramberger
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved It
    Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2024
    There are so many excellent pieces of goodness in this essay collection. I appreciate the author’s willingness to explore motherhood, relationships, friendships, and more. Bravo! Brave! Entertaining and also hopeful.
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