Dummy by Matt Coyne

My review

4/5 stars

Parenting is hard work. Anyone who paints you a picture that suggests otherwise is either not a parent themselves, or is lying to you to make themselves seem/feel better. Books like this one by Matt Coyne are a fantastic read for parents like me in the depths of having babies and small children because they provide the exact thing that we need - reassurance that we are not alone in feeling completely clueless.

There were several moments in this book where I laughed out loud at how much I related to what had been written. It covers every aspect of parenting a baby through their first year with brutal honesty and charming humour. While Coyne seemingly just writes whatever he thinks will be funny for other parents to read, I always appreciate books like this for the vulnerability they need from their authors - it can't be easy to write all of your insecurities about your parenting in a book for millions of other parents to read (even if you do wrap them up in amusing anecdotes).

I recommend this for any parent or parent-to-be, both as some light-hearted relief and as a form of reassurance that you're not on your own when you feel like you're getting it wrong.

Book blurb

'The night before Charlie was born I had this dream. I dreamt that I was a soldier, riding into battle ... completely naked, and on the back of a large, inflatable duck.'

Matt Coyne has become a hero for thousands of parents everywhere who are devoted followers of his popular blog, Man vs Baby.

This is his book, and it is not your average parenting tome. It's packed with completely impractical advice for the bewildered new mum or dad - stuff you won't find anywhere else: from 'Profanity Bingo' for labour to a categorisation of various nappy disasters. But, more than that, it is the story of how becoming a parent is a kind of beautiful insanity - a thing that changes you.

Above all, Dummy will keep you laughing through the exhaustion, the mystery and the madness of bringing up your own children.

This is the parenting book for real people.

More...

You can buy the book here now. It was published by Wildfire.

For more on the author, you can take a look at his website, follow him on Facebook or check out his Goodreads page.