Books for Prep | |
 - Funniest Parenting Book Yet!If you are a parent or wanting to be a parent, you should definitely read this book by Robert Wilder. It is a collection of his memories as a father, from the first time he changed his daughter in an Olive Garden Restaurant men's room, to having worn a snowman suit called Frosty and baking in his own fart and stench just to get the love of his daughter. Wilder also narrates the frustrations of being a parent and drastically looking at it in a very side splitting and hilarious way. If you want a book that will make you "pee-in-your-pants-laugh-out-loud-kind" of way and if you want to see the different lengths parents will do to get their children's love, this is the book to read. You will also find in this book how a family friend reacts when his 3 year old son drops the "F-BOMB word", or when a 6 year old girl asks Wilder, "Daddy, what is rape?", and a kid's question on why the sky is blue followed by who, what where and when interrogations. Although this book is about parenting and children, Wilder's language is on the rated R range, which I think is a very effective tool for the adult readers to find amusing, not to mention one chapter that has rated R dialouges with. Rating: - Reallly funny!As new parents, my husband and I couldn't stop laughing while reading the stories. We even read sections aloud to other new parent friends. Rating:  - Fathers are parents tooA delightful book which all new parents will appreciate. It was written by a dad with a sense of humor. Rating: - A Touching, Laugh-Out-Loud Look at the Thrills and Trials of Being a Devoted DadDaddy Needs a Drink is a delightful peek into Robert Wilder's child-filled life, highlighting the ridiculous charm of his kids, Poppy and London, and the daily dilemmas and lessons parenting has taught him. From the first few pre-pregnancy tales, one of which involves listening in to his neighbors' dalliances via baby monitor, through his kids' adventures and misadventures, Wilder proves that he's laughing at himself most of all. More than just "cute kid stories," Wilder explores the ways teaching his children right from wrong can often be unsettling for other adults, such as when his son decides to say the word "pussy" at many an inopportune time (not to mention "hipple") or teaching him about dwarfs ("dwarps" in London-speak). He explores his son's addiction to his nuzzies (blanket lint) and their attempts to wean him off of them. Wilder also has an eye for the hypocrisy of other parents and teachers, pointing out their excesses and eccentricities. On the beach, he describes sitting near "High-Maintenance Mom" while he makes sand mermaids for his kids. When High-Maintenance Mom's daughter comes over to see what the fuss is about, Wilder writes: "The little girl left her mom and wandered over to what must have seemed like more fun than an outdoor office where your boss ignores you." No matter how much he may roll his eyes at certain parenting conventions, Wilder will never be the kind of dad who blatantly ignores his kids. And, while humorous, Wilder exhibits a vulnerability that's refreshingly honest, most notably when he shares a crying bout upon observing his daughter on the playground. He's a dad who's willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, wearing a filthy Frosty the Snowman outfit, buying outrageous amounts of school supplies, and generally humoring his kids without spoiling them. His essays about his own father, whose love for Sam's Club knows no bounds, show their own deep connection. Wilder's greatest gift is in making readers laugh, but never at the expense of anyone else. There are stories that his kids will likely one day laugh right along with, and he includes himself in the punchlines. He touches on telephone etiquette for kids, how to deal with his children's voluminous output of artwork, and balancing the needs and wants of two adults and two kids harmoniously, while also giving a glimpse into the rest of his family and his friends' adventures in parenting (where the terrible twos extend onward well past that famous age). This is well worth reading, whether you have (or even like) kids or not, and while his love and awe for his kids is clear from every page, Wilder manages to be hilarious and tender, but never sappy. Wilder doesn't claim to have all the answers, and learns along the way, painting fatherhood as an ongoing journey of learning, growing, and being changed by his role as a parent, and his humorous writing is all the better for this lack of a master plan or know-it-all advice. I will be giving this book to all the new dads I know. Rating: - funny, funny, funny!!!I loved this book!! Robert Wilder is a very witty and funny writer. He should be a comedian. I laughed out loud, I couldn't believe some of the stories in ths book. He is talented in a way that he paints a wildy funny picture for you, I could actually picture the stories as I read them. If you want a bunch of good laughs about life with children then get this book, it's definately worth it. P.S. about the post below about the crude humor, first of all it is mostly written for people in their late 20's, 30's and 40"s . I could see some older people taking offense b/c they are not used to certain language, call it generation gap issues. There isn't much crude humor by any means, just some . All in all a great book!! In association with Amazon.com | |