Baby Not on Board: A Celebration of Life without Kids [Paperback]

Jennifer L. Shawne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 7, 2005

For anyone who's wondered, "Why have kids when I could have fun instead?" here's a warm and hilarious welcome to the wonderful world of unparenting! The childfree life is growing in popularity, and finally here is a book that celebrates the wisdom and wonder of that choice. For those who cherish their white shag carpet and glass coffee table, this highly interactive bookwith quizzes, sidebars, and handy checklistsoffers a range of helpful, unparenting information including ways to throw oneself an unbaby shower and strategies for coping with dreaded OPCs (other people's children). Baby Not on Board reminds us all that having a baby is great, but NOT having a baby is really, really great.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Shawne glorifies the life of what she terms 'unparents.'" -- The Washington Post

"...a fast and devilishly funny read." -- The Plain Dealer

"...a fun and witty guide to breaking the news to your grandchildren-eager parents..." -- Dayton Daily News

"[Shawne's] book uses humor to [suggest ways of] making the most of your tot-free days." -- Houston Chronicle

"[the book] welcomes like-minded readers into a lively, if sometimes a bit crass, world of what Shawne calls 'unparenting.'" -- Chicago Sun-Times

About the Author

Jennifer L. Shawne is the author of Instant Weddings (0-8118-3687-8). She lives in San Francisco with her husband and two feline child substitutes, Mim and Gita.

Anoushka Matus's illustrations appear regularly in numerous international magazines. She currently lives with her husband and son in Zurich, Switzerland.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (July 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811847977
• ISBN-13: 978-0811847971
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #885,098 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To breed, or not to breed..., March 26, 2006

By 

Sam "Crocheting Commuter" (Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baby Not on Board (Paperback)

That is the question. For some, the answer is "Yes! Yes! Who wouldn't want to have a baby!" For others the answer is clear - "NO BREEDING. NO BABIES." Whichever one is your choice (and it is a choice), you'll find this book a fun read.

The authors approach the sometimes taboo topic of deciding not to have children with humor and concrete considerations one should think about if pondering the addition of tiny footsteps to their life. Do you want to give up all your Saturday mornings from now until forever? Have kids and it will be cereal and cartoons at 7 am instead of sleeping until 10 and having a leisurely read of the paper while sipping a latte.

The book pokes fun at parenthood and highlights the not so endearing qualities that babies, toddlers, kids and teenagers possess. It is not a book that says being a parent is a bad thing. Those who decide to remain childless are not cold or without compassion. Not all of them hate children, a lot of them LOVE kids, but know that being a parent is not for them. The book also highlights the great opportunity of being an auntie or uncle, compared to a mommy or daddy.

It's a funny book, a quick read, and can be enjoyed by breeders and non-breeders alike. (But I wouldn't recommend giving it as a gift at a baby shower.)

51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THANK GOD, August 1, 2005

By 

Animal Lover (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baby Not on Board: A Celebration of Life without Kids (Paperback)

For someone who's on the fence about having kids, this book is terrific! It's not mean-spirited at all; instead it makes you feel better about questioning whether child rearing is right for you. And in this celebrity-obsessed culture, I could care less if Gwyneth or Britney are breeding...But with all the print they seem to get about their spawn it sure puts unconscious pressure on us gals to get a bun in the oven. Anyway, this book made me feel better about my uncertainty, and cracked me up in the process! Thank you, Jennifer L. Shawne!

76 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally! A Voice of Dissent!, August 1, 2005

By 

BaldGuy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baby Not on Board: A Celebration of Life without Kids (Paperback)

As one of the "selfish" and "barren" adults for whom "Baby Not On Board" (BNOB) is intended, I found Shawne's book the perfect antidote to the daunting cultural imperatives my wife and I have felt to BREED BREED BREED. Spiced with witty illustrations and dripping with interesting comparison tables, resources, and cheeky "advice," the book (finally!) says out loud what many of us have been thinking quietly for a long time: that on this already-overpopulated planet, those of us who have chosen to live our lives for *ourselves and not our offspring have every right to be loud and proud about it.

Philosophy aside, BNOB is a brutally funny, dead-on counterpunch to the world of having babies, balancing honesty with cheeky humor, and toeing a careful line between saying what's necessary and provoking the poor breeders. I loved its candid assessments like "carrying a back-breaking watermelon" or long list of celebrities who elected to forego having children. Comparisons like "A Saturday With/Without Kids" clearly contextualizes the difference between two life-changing decisions in a simple, understandable way. There are dozens of examples like this, most of them hilarious -- "Lost in Translation," which explains how to swear in the presence of innocent little ears, made me laugh so hard I blew expensive champagne out my nose.

Child-burdened folks may find themselves offended or defensive, occasionally, since Shawne pokes prose pins in many of their rationalizations. But they have to understand: we've been silent for a long time, putting up with their offsprings' interruptions of our movies and plane flights, even getting their parents out of work now and then. (What's OUR excuse? Our cat is sick?) Frankly, we were tired of the inequity. (Actually, parents probably won't have time to read the book -- not for another 18 years, at least.)

For our bumper, we already have a STOP BREEDING sticker; for all our child-free friends, we're picking up a copy of BNOB.