What a hilarious little book. Toddlers are Assholes: It’s Not Your Fault is pretty standard to the “parenting humor” genre, but it really worked for me more than most. I’m not a very laugh-out-loud type of person but there were more than a few times that I was honest to God fighting to control my laughter so the shaking didn’t wake up my own little asshole, hogging my bed late at night. However, there are certain conditions under which this book should be read.
Read this book if:
- You have a toddler. If your kid(s) is/are younger, you won’t get it yet. If they’re older, it the humor likely won’t land quite right. It wouldn’t be too hard to take this book too seriously and get sanctimonious about being a better parent than the author apparently is, and if you’re too far removed from the trenches I think it’d be more likely.
- You’re eating your toddler’s leftover teddy grahams at 2:30 in the morning because as much as you may adore your child, the time between their bedtime and yours is your only downtime and you’ll be damned if you waste it sleeping. But oh hell are you ever exhausted.
- You’re feeling a little slaphappy from the sugar and sleep deprivation.
- You wouldn’t mind a little reassurance that of course other parents find their toddlers exhausting, ridiculous, gross, draining, and perfect. Of course you’re not the only one who maybe doesn’t fantasize about it per se but can definitely find the humor in the thought of dropping your kid off at the fire station so s/he can fly into a rage about their shoelace and throw a fistful of Goldfish at the damn firefighters, not you. Of course you can still be a fantastic parent if even the inside of your brain doesn’t look like a preschool teacher’s Pinterest board with no exhaustion, annoyance, or bewilderment to be found. Of course.
Just pass on it if:
- You’re going to be a sanctimommy about any of the above. Just don’t. Don’t make it weird.