This is an easy book to breeze through. Its short length makes it great for parents of young children. Bunmi Laditan addresses a number of issues than can come up with toddlers, such as mealtimes, potty training, sleep, “Getting Your Toddler to Listen (LOL),” and the effect being a parent has on one’s sex life.
Although Laditan brings up real issues, it’s important to note that this is not a real parenting book, nor is it meant to be. Laditan talks about toddlers and parenting in extreme ways, though I’m sure for some parents it might not feel very extreme. She talks about how parents are just trying to survive being “in the trenches with a psychopath.” She recommends not taking your toddler to a restaurant. Ever. She compares putting a toddler to bed with trying to get a drunk friend out of a bar and home – every night. There are times when she writes as though she hates her kids.
I appreciate the over-the-top take. I assume the purpose is so that you can positively compare your life to what Laditan is writing about. It also helped reduce some guilt I sometimes feel about certain aspects of being a toddler parent because I know that 1) I’m not alone, and 2) it could be worse. Laditan does make sure to include some legitimately useful suggestions an observations, like napping when your toddler is napping (I was way ahead of her on that one), DOs and DON’Ts when choosing a daycare/preschool, some ways to encourage your child to eat dinner, and recognizing that your child acts out at mealtime because they have so little control over other areas of their life.
Laditan is also funny. I’d recommend reading it if only for some of the laugh-out-loud parts. Some parts I particularly enjoyed:
- the mention that a child might want “a grilled cheese sandwich with no crust, cheese, or bread” (p. 25).
- a playdate conversation starter: “Which of your kids is your favorite so far?” (p. 82).
- a list of 100 things toddlers will say at bedtime to stall, such as “Can I finish my dinner now?” (p. 137).
It’s an entertaining book, which is really all I was looking for. If you’re a toddler parent who wants a fun read and isn’t looking for an actual parenting book, this is a good one.