Kristen Howerton

Clever and thoughtful and not your typical parenting book. This reads more like a memoir centered on parenting - Howerton is definitely qualified: 4 kids in about 4 years! 2 are adopted (boys) and 2 girls who were born in between adoptions after many heartbreaking miscarriages. She relishes each child and his/her circumstances, but not in the gooey saccharine way other parenting books I've read succumb to. Now that they are out of the minivan zone (but, teenagers!) she is able to see them show more for the individuals they are, strengths and weaknesses both, which is so refreshing. Many other aspects are refreshing too: no humble-brag aspects to her less stellar moments, no #blessed, faith-got-me-though lipservice, no self-deprecation as elevation. There are a lot of raw moments but also some very funny ones too! #asshole parent was one of my faves - she created this movement after her toddler daughter threw a fit about some inconsequential, unintentional slight - like cutting a sandwich the wrong way - lots of hilarious examples. She takes on hard issues: how parenting (esp. motherhood) has become a competitive sport, how parenting is still unequally balanced between genders, even with involved Dads, faith vs. faith practice and the challenging expectations it sets up for mothers, and race - her two adopted sons are black and to see the different treatment they receive from society compared to her white daughters could be a book in itself. show less

This book is funny at times while offering encouragement to lower the bar. No parents do not need to be at every sports game or spend 5 hours a night on homework. Children do not need to be involved in 3 extracurricular activities. She encourages parents to list what must be done and let the remainder fall or not as needed.

Well written, humorous, committed to finding space to be true without overworking.