Go the F--- to Sleep

Have you guys seen this book? I know you probably have since it has been out for three months. I am not so current and just looked at it for the first time tonight. I had heard about it and finally though I guess I'll check it out. Here were my thoughts about it before I started looking at what everyone else had to say about it. 1. This book is pure genius! 2. There are going to be all sorts of parent and religious groups who get all bent out of shape about this. 3. Any parent out there who denies ever having this sort of inner monologue run through their head is a liar liar pants on fire. And finally 4. hahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Well I started reading other peoples comments and posts about this book, and though many of us out there find it hilarious, I was right, some people just can't take a joke. One religious group in New Zealand tried to have the book banned for fear parents might think it's OK to read this book to their kids at bedtime. Really? That's your argument against the book? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that if there are parents out there that think this is an appropriate book to read to their children, there are bigger issues to be worried about in that household. This is a book for adults not kids. Yes it looks like a children's book and is illustrated like a children's book but that is part of the reason adults find it so funny.
One moms group claimed the book was offensive and they would never think those things about an innocent child. Like I said before, liar liar pants on fire. There is not one parent out there who hasn't at one point or another felt the very strong urge to tell their child to go the f--- to sleep or something to that effect. I think the need to lie about feeling that way comes from a place of guilt. As a parent, especially a mom, we can feel guilty about having those feelings towards our child who we  love so much and would do anything for. It makes us feel as the book so delicately puts it like "shitty ass parents."
 That is what makes the book so brilliant. This author has the guts to step up and say hey sometimes when I am reading my child a story for the 50th time in my head I am thinking go the f--- to sleep! I think it's great, now other parents can read this book and think thank god I'm not the only one who feels that way sometimes. He is taking one of those parenting moments in which you feel like curling up into the fetal position while crying and turning it something to laugh about. Sometimes in life you can either laugh or cry and it's OK to laugh at ourselves. We are only human after all and we all make mistakes, even moms, well maybe especially moms. I think as women sometimes we put these unrealistic expectations on ourselves to be these perfect super moms and then beat ourselves up when we fall short.
I read an interview with the author of this book and when asked why he thought some people were so upset over the book I think he hit the nail right on the head. He said, "As much as there's a conversation about parenting in this culture, it's very much about appearances." Wow! He is so right. I guess that is why parenting groups are always so quick to jump all over anything they don't agree with, they want to keep up the appearance of being perfect parents. Well there is no such thing as a perfect parent. We as moms have a tendency to constantly judge each other when it comes to the way we choose parents. I mean look at all the different parenting styles out there babies on schedules vs. no schedule, cloth diapers vs. disposable diapers, breast feeding vs. bottle feeding, crib sleeping vs. co-sleeping. We all think are way is the "right" way, that's why we do it. We all just want whats best for our children. In the end I think that the "right" way is to just give our children the love, support, and guidance they need, do the best job that we can and hope our kids grow up to be a little less messed up than we are.
If you haven't read go the f--- to sleep I strongly suggest that you do, even if your not a parent. You can download and read it for free. If you've read it and found it offensive my advice would be to lighten up and take it for what it is, a funny book meant for adults. If you read it and found it hilarious all I can say is I know right, genius! And remember when it's 2 am and your kid is still awake don't really tell him to go the f--- to sleep, but feel free to think it!