Product Review

The fine foks at Mother Talk sent me a copy of Stefanie Wilder-Taylor’s new book “Naptime is the New Happy Hour” and asked me to review it. Here goes.

First, a little from the back cover…

Motherhood -- it's not for wimps.

Once the zigzagging hormones and endless, bleary-eyed exhaustion of the first year have worn off, you're left with the startling realization that your tiny, immobile bundle has become a rampaging toddler, complete with his or her very own, very forceful personality.

Just as Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay helped debunk decades of parenting myths to offer honest advice for the first year, Naptime Is the New Happy Hour is a voice of reason for every woman facing questions such as: Will refined sugar make my toddler's head explode? Is it wrong to have a cocktail at two in the afternoon? And what exactly is a Backyardigan?

With biting wit and boatloads of common sense, Stefanie Wilder-Taylor addresses all these concerns and more. Whether it's planning easy outings that are fun for both of you (fact: your child will find the local Target just as scintillating as the Guggenheim), dishing the dirt on preschool TV (those mothers who swear their kids don't watch television? Liars or psychos, every one), or perfecting the art of the play date, readers will find advice, anecdotes, and a reassuring sense of camaraderie to help them survive -- and even thrive -- during each hilarious, frustrating, and amazing moment.

And a little about the author from her Blogger profile…

One thing to know about me is that I don't like people who say "one thing to know about me." That statement tells me a lot about a person. Like that I probably don't want to know about them. Another thing to know about me is I can be a little testy. I am married to a man whose character is way too great to be believed, had a daughter on Nov. 12, 2004, used to be a TV writer and comedian but now I'm trying to live off of my books "Sippy Cups Are Not For Chardonnay: And other things I had to learn as a New Mom" and "Naptime Is the New Happy Hour." Oh and I recently had TWIN GIRLS! Need I say more?

Now my review…

Hated this book.

The end.

Seriously though, I really did not like this book. I think the author is trying to hard to be funny and it just isn’t cutting it. She insults just about everyone – the Pampered Chef demonstrator she calls The Cult Leader, the Spanish speaking gardener, “towel heads”, the Gays, etc.

She says she only moved ten miles or so away from her friends, but she is too lazy to go and see them so she needs to make new ones. Within the first 50 pages of the book, she pretty much narrows down what she wants in a friend, and says, quite frankly, that if you don’t meet certain requirements, she doesn’t want you as a friend. Guess what Stefanie? If you live your life the way you write, I wouldn’t want to be your friend.

Now I know you are supposed to take this humor tongue-in-cheek, but it just isn’t funny. She makes so many references to alcohol and drugs (legal and not) that it really makes you wonder.

Thank you Mother Talk for letting me review this book, but it just didn’t cut it for me.*

(If you want to read a really funny book about parenting, check out The Sweet Potato Queens.)


*Anyone want my copy? Leave me a comment and I’ll draw a name and let you endure the “humor”.