And to help mums with young children feel supported, she has recently released a book.

I Told You Not to Climb the Cactus: Surviving the Badlands of Motherhood was illustrated by her daughter Ruth and based on her own life experiences.

She said mothers often felt “guilty” that they weren’t doing a good enough job raising their children.

“Guilt is an occupational hazard of motherhood,” she said.

“So often we put our best faces forward but it’s not what home life is really like.

Wendy said she often had mothers tell her they felt insecure and unsure if they were doing the right thing.

She hopes by sharing some of her experiences she can enable mothers with small children to feel supported and encouraged.

“Even just a small trip to the doctors is a major deal.”

She said mums can often feel pressured from older generations who have maybe “forgotten” how much of a struggle it can be raising young children.

Wendy said she was amazed by one response from a woman on Amazon who said she had found the book really encouraging.​

Her favourite chapter is called ‘Madonna and Child’ which she said talks about the difference between the ‘ideal mother’ and what reality is really like for most mums.

“People who read it really respond to that,” she said. 

“I had four children so I wrote it out of my experiences.”

The book is primarily being sold in America at the moment.

However it can be ordered online, through bookstores in Australia and is also an E-Book.

Originally from New Zealand, Wendy has been in the Highlands for the past four years.

She thanked Ruth, who has also illustrated other books for her help creating the book, which has only been on the market for the past month.

“Ruth has been wonderful.”

With a few tales left over, Wendy said there was a possibility of a sequel in the future.