Publication Date: April 14, 2026
A provocative exploration of purpose under the weight of motherhood
Elly Sparrow’s four small children are clean and cute, and her workaholic husband is a good provider, but she often feels as if her life has been whittled down to two defining titles: mother and wife. She yearns for something more, but what?
When her marriage begins to crumble and her husband moves out, Elly must navigate the challenges of single motherhood while confronting deeper turmoil within herself. As she balances the demands of everyday life, she embarks on a transformative—and at times daring—journey to redefine her purpose and learn to live on her own terms.
Set in the 1980s, Rules for Mothers is a poignant depiction of the enduring complexities of gender roles, motherhood, and mental health. Elly’s struggles and discoveries paint a picture of the importance of self—fulfillment and the battle women must wage to build a life that works for them—rather than one that is rooted in the needs of others.
Elly Sparrow didn’t exactly plan to have children. However, four children and a crumbling marriage later, she’s forced to reshape her identity.
Author Julie Swendsen Young delivers an insightful story in Rules for Mothers. Elly proves to be a sympathetic character, seemingly content with the chaos of managing a lively brood of children.
It seemed like a natural role in the 1980s, with a husband working while the wife stayed home. However, early in the story, when Elle’s husband rejects Elly’s request for a lunch date, choosing to take his mother-in-law instead, it demonstrates a clear lack of appreciation for her hard work.
As she tries to find a path toward independence, Elly discovers that mothers don’t have the same ability as fathers to just walk away. The author offers a number of thought-provoking scenarios to illustrate this point.
Rules for Mothers reveals a woman’s inner battle to chart her own course amid the struggles of motherhood.
Julie Swendsen Young grew up picking wildflowers and herding cows on the North Dakota prairie. After college she moved to Portland, Oregon, where she raised a family, earned a Master of Social Work (MSW), and became a clinical social worker. She is a citizen lobbyist for early childhood investments and maternal health. Her short fiction and creative nonfiction stories have been published in print and online magazines, including Surging Tide and The Timberline Review. Rules for Mothers is her first novel.
