"In this brilliantly original book, Ana Villalobos illuminates an unobserved link between insecurity as a mother experiences it and the unnoticed 'security project' she infuses into her mothering. . . . Based on over 150 interviews with young mothers—most followed over a course of three years—Villalobos shows what can happen when one relationship is made to bear the increasing weight of 'society-sized insecurity.' A highly important book." —Arlie Hochschild, author of The Outsourced Self and So How’s the Family? "Villalobos shows how today’s mothers are being asked to provide a sense of security that American society no longer offers. Yet these unattainable expectations are not only destined to fall short, they also undermine the well-being of families and communities by diverting attention from the social roots of rising economic and interpersonal uncertainties. This important and timely book is a powerful call to address the institutional sources of personal insecurity rather than leaving mothers to shoulder this impossible task on their own." —Kathleen Gerson, author of The Unfinished Revolution: Coming of Age in a New Era of Gender, Work, and Family "In this perceptive book, Villalobos offers a fresh take on the anxieties of contemporary mothers. Shifting attention from mothers' attempts to find the perfect child-rearing strategy, she focuses instead on the ways mothers burden the mother-child bond with security concerns, even when doing so threatens to destabilize family life. And rather than blaming mothers for their actions, Villalobos expresses profound compassion for them while offering a hopeful vision of less stressful parenting. This wonderful book will ignite vibrant conversation both inside and outside the classroom." —Margaret K. Nelson, author of Parenting Out of Control: Anxious Parents in Uncertain Times