They say there’s no manual for raising children but that hasn’t stopped everyone from Dr. Spock to Dr. Phil from trying. We’re trading in serious advice for some tongue-in-cheek perspectives on dealing with colicky infants, picky eaters and overbearing social media friends.
Here’s our roundup of the 5 best books for parents of all ages:
Parents of newborns:
New parents are inundated with flawless depictions of a new family, from diaper commercials to glossy magazine covers. It Sucked, Then I Cried: How I Had A Baby, A Breakdown, and a Much-Needed Margarita tackles the truthful highs and lows of pregnancy, parenting a newborn, and dealing with postpartum depression. Armstrong’s candid and irreverent storytelling style is a breath of honest air, from her take on dirty diaper ennui to her short stay in a mental health facility for post-partum depression. Armstrong, one of the most famous mommy bloggers, writes under the pseudonym of Dooce.
Parents of testy toddlers:
The Honest Toddler: A Child’s Guide to Parenting by Bunmi Laditan
Any parent who has suffered through (and lost) a battle of wills with a headstrong toddler will love this book. Born out of an eponymous Canadian blog run by Bunmi Laditan, The Honest Toddler is written from the perspective of a precocious ankle biter. With a razor sharp wit and keen observational skills (“What sound does a duck make? Who cares?”), it’s a very funny take on the child’s opinion of clueless and powerless parents. Chapters include, Sleep: Weaning Yourself Off Of It and The Long Hello: Birth.
Parents of school-age children:
You Have To F***king Eat by Adam Mansbach
From the author of the wildly popular Go the F**k To Sleep, this book will delight any parent who has dealt with a picky eater who will only eat orange food one day and swears off mac ‘n’ cheese the next. Not quite appropriate for the nursery bookshelf, but we’d definitely sneak it to another parent at an adults-only dinner party.
Parents of any age:
Is bedtime illuminated by the soft glow of a tablet? If so, this book, about unplugging in a 24/7 world, is a sage read. (And the author’s pseudonym gave us a giggle, too.) Using old-fashion technology -- a genuine, hold-in-your-hand paper book-- it is a comment on our electronically addicted behavior, but genuinely helps the family unwind and put to rest the gadgets that rule our lives. At least until Siri wakes us up.
Social media can be a firestorm of unsolicited parenting advice and cringe-worthy TMI posts that fill up Facebook feeds. STFU, Parents compiles the best of the worst behavior, including “mommyjacking” (commandeering a friend’s social media post with baby news), and the “overshare” (no one needs to know about Kayden’s poop, ever). While author and blogger Blair Koenig has been criticized for writing about parents and not being a parent herself, Slate called the book a “public service announcement.”
