The Humorous Misadventures of Parenthood

Posted on April 27, 2017

by April S

As a librarian, I’m often asked if I can recommend any really funny books. Well, humor really is quite subjective, because while I may think something is hilarious – someone else may simply react with a shoulder shrug.

As a parent, I find it’s easier to relate to the trials and tribulations of parenthood, which are often hilarious! From kids saying the funniest and most unexpected things to the mishaps of parenthood – most people who have been through it can relate on some level.

Below you’ll find a selection of books that may make you laugh (although I will freely admit – I haven’t had time to read all of them just yet – one of the perks of being a busy parent). Read at your own discretion (these books may not be for everyone), but hopefully someone out there will be able to relate and have a good chuckle.

Parenting Humor Books

Reasons My Kid is Crying by Greg PembrokeReasons My Kid is Crying by Greg Pembroke

Available in Print.

A glimpse into the tribulations of parenting that is part documentary, part therapy, and completely hilarious. It all started when busy father Greg Pembroke posted a few pictures online of his three-year-old son, mid-tantrum, alongside the reason his son was crying: He had broken his bit of cheese in half. In Reasons My Kid is Crying, Greg collects together photos sent from parents around the world, documenting the many, completely logical reasons why small children cry. Among them: “I let him play on the grass” — “He ran out of toys to throw into his pool” — “The neighbor’s dog isn’t outside.” The result is both an affectionate portrait of the universal, baffling logic of toddlers — and a reminder for burned-out parents everywhere that they are not alone.

Dad is Fat by Jim GaffiganDad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

Available in Print, Audiobook, eBook and eAudiobook.

In Dad is Fat, stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan, who’s best known for his legendary riffs on Hot Pockets, bacon, manatees, and McDonald’s, expresses all the joys and horrors of life with five young children—everything from cousins (“celebrities for little kids”) to toddlers’ communication skills (“they always sound like they have traveled by horseback for hours to deliver important news”), to the eating habits of four year olds (“there is no difference between a four year old eating a taco and throwing a taco on the floor”). Dad is Fat is sharply observed, explosively funny, and a cry for help from a man who has realized he and his wife are outnumbered in their own home.

Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of Twenty-First Century Parenthood by Drew MagarySomeone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of Twenty-First Century Parenthood by Drew Magary

Available in Print.

A sharp, funny, and heartfelt memoir about fatherhood and the ups and downs of raising a family in modern America.

No one writes about family quite like Drew Magary. The GQ correspondent and Deadspin columnist’s stories about trying to raise a family have attracted millions of readers online. And now he’s finally bringing that unique voice to a memoir. In Someone Could Get Hurt, he reflects on his own parenting experiences to explore the anxiety, rationalizations, compromises, and overpowering love that come with raising children in contemporary America.

Confessions of a Scary Mommy by Jill SmoklerConfessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and Irreverent Look at Motherhood – The Good, The Bad, and the Scary by Jill Smokler

Available in Print, Audiobook, and eBook.

Based on the hugely popular website, ScaryMommy.com, Confessions of a Scary Mommy digs deep into the underbelly of parenting and tackles the issues many mothers are too afraid to expose

This is Ridiculous, This is Amazing: Parenthood in 71 Lists by Jason Good, Family ManThis is Ridiculous, This is Amazing: Parenthood in 71 Lists by Jason Good, Family Man

Available in Print.

Blogging sensation and family man Jason Good delivers a laugh-out-loud reminder that everything is easier and more fun when approached with a sense of humor especially parenting. Each list captures a perfect (or perfectly terrible) aspect of parenthood while wholeheartedly embracing every moment: “You Deserve a Break” offers ideas for downtime, such as giving blood and untangling cords, while “Self-Help from a Three-Year-Old” collects such wisdom as “If you fall down, stay down. Someone will pick you up eventually.” Sweet, sincere, and oh-so-true, this is the ideal gift for parents who could use a laugh. And isn’t that every single one of them?

The Mommy Shorts guide to remarkably average parenting / Ilana WilesThe Mommy Shorts Guide to Remarkably Average Parenting by Ilana Wiles

Available in Print.

The creator of the hugely popular Mommy Shorts blog, sharing her remarkably average parenting skills, pays homage to the every-parent and suggests that they are the people having the best child-rearing experience of all.

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