Authors: Christie S. Mellor, Christie Mellor
ISBN-13: 9780811840545, ISBN-10: 0811840549
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
Date Published: December 2003
Edition: (Non-applicable)
Christie Mellor is an actress, screenwriter, and parent of two darling angels. She lives in Los Angeles.
Parents were here first! How did the kids suddenly take control? Sure the world has changed from the days when children were supposed to be seen and not heard but things have gotten a little out of hand. What about some quality time for the grownups? Author Christie Mellor's hilarious, personal, refreshing, and actually quite useful advice delightfully rights the balance between parent and child. In dozens of short, wickedly funny chapters, she skewers today's parental absurdities and reminds us how to make child-rearing a kick. With recipes, helpful hints, and illustrations, this high-spirited book is the only book parents will really need and enjoy.
Introduction: In Praise of Grown-up Time | 11 | |
Saying No to Your Child: It's a Kick! | 16 | |
The Childproof House: How to Know If You've Gone Too Far | 22 | |
Bedtime: Is Five-thirty Too Early? | 29 | |
The Child at a Social Event | 32 | |
Screaming: Is It Necessary? | 39 | |
Your Child's Life: Now Available on DVD! | 42 | |
Diaper Bag or Steamer Trunk? | 46 | |
When It Is Time to Leave | 49 | |
Children's Birthday Parties: Not Just for Children! | 54 | |
The Family at Table | 61 | |
Child Labor: Not Just for the Third World! | 68 | |
Avoiding the Detritus of Childhood | 74 | |
Preschool: The Fast Track to Harvard | 78 | |
The Three-Martini Playdate | 82 | |
Mommy, I Want a Puppy! | 87 | |
"Children's Music": Why? | 94 | |
Are We There Yet? On the Road with Max and Maddy | 101 | |
School Days, School Days | 108 | |
Self-Esteem and Other Overrated Concepts | 113 | |
Karate, Little League, and Ballet: Your Child's Eighty-Hour Work Week | 117 | |
Steppin' Out with My Baby | 121 | |
Television: Is Six Hours a Day Too Much? | 126 | |
Your Cost-Effective Tomboy | 130 | |
Don't, Like, Waste My Time | 133 | |
The Amazing Hands-Off Daddy | 136 | |
Epilogue: Why Do We Have Children? | 141 | |
Helpful Hints! | ||
Etiquette for First-Time Parents | 14 | |
When You Are the Victim of Your Own Child | 20 | |
Practical Childproofing | 28 | |
On Getting out the Door | 53 | |
On Having Your Cooking Appreciated | 66 | |
Fiscal Planning and Your Tooth Fairy | 72 | |
For Your Listening Pleasure | 98 | |
Entertainment on the Road | 105 | |
On Helping Your Youngster with School Projects | 112 | |
Do-It-Yourself After-School Enrichment Program | 120 | |
Recipes | ||
Our Little Tot's First Martini Recipe | 37 | |
Lemonade for Grown-ups | 57 | |
Weenie Fondue (For a Crowd) | 58 | |
Devilish Eggs | 60 |