When Bedtime is Wartime: Go the F to Sleep?

I'd rather endorse than cut down, but I'm just too curious for your reactions to this one:


I first read about it in July 2011 Redbook, in which the author, Adam Mansbach, explained that after a bedtime battle he sarcastically tweeted that he'd be releasing a new book by that title. His friends were so enthused that he wrote and published it for real.

Let's be clear, this is a book meant for parents, not kids. Still, I'm offended. I won't buy it. I do not recommend it. (I do like Ricardo Cortes' illustrations, though.) I can't say that I didn't check out the YouTube reading (warning: no bleeping out there) because I thought it might be funny, especially since I particularly enjoy parodies and sarcasm...and because I sometimes lose the mommy-warm-fuzzies after a toddler whining marathon. I didn't find the book relatable or funny, though.

Your thoughts?

5 comments:

  1. I think it definitely crosses a line. It's normal to feel frustration on that level, but crude language has become far too common. It demeans the speaker and the listener. My personal opinion as to this book's phenomenal popularity is a widespread lack of coping skills. Swearing is not coping. It doesn't bring anyone closer to a solution.

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  2. It's terrible! I thought too that it might be funny, but no. It seemed very immature for a parent to be writing a book, using that kind of language, and then publishing it in the guise of a children's book. I was appalled that they really used that word.

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  3. I thought it was somewhat funny. The book suffered from the formulaic repeating of the same joke over and over again, so I think it could have been a lot better than it was.

    I thought it was pretty refreshing that the book said what many people are thinking anyway. One of the interesting parts of the book is that it points out the difference between what parents are thinking and what they're saying. I think a lot of folks don't realize that the book isn't rehearsing things a parent actually said to a kid, but what the parent is thinking. It's clearly not intended to be the actual dialogue that occurs between parent/child.

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  4. Great insight, Reuben - of course it's more reflective of a parent's thoughts than speech. Still, I never *think* that kind of language. It's too crude for my tender little heart. ;) I'm more a hell and dammit sort of swearer.

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  5. I guess I'm not offended by it. I know that while my "thought-swear-words" never go over the F-word line, most people's (who don't have my standards/beliefs) do.

    I think it's funny because when you're EXHAUSTED, your mind is really not coming up with the most intelligent words and for this parent, it was probably the only word their sleep-deprived-I-have-to-be-up-for-work-in-2-hours-mind could come up with. But I'm probably just more sympathetic to it because I currently have a 5 week old. Give me a few more months and a few more hours of sleep and I'll probably be totally offended and appalled I ever related to this.

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