Customer Reviews

Daddy Needs a Drink: An Irreverent Look at Parenting from a Dad Who Truly Loves His Kids-- Even When They're Driving Him Nuts

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

As a fellow author, and a new mom, I read this book thinking I'd find a dad who doesn't really get it but that it might be humorous. Well, I was wrong. He totally gets it every bit as much as the bored stay at home moms I know. If you don't laugh at the chapter entitled "Pussy" you probably don't have a pulse which means you have bigger problems than what book to buy. I definitely recommend this book to all dads who want to see that other dads know what you're going through. Good luck out there!

Daddy Needs a Drink is a delightful peek into Robert Wilder's child-filled life, highlighting the ridiculous charm of his kids, Poppy and London, and the daily dilemmas and lessons parenting has taught him. From the first few pre-pregnancy tales, one of which involves listening in to his neighbors' dalliances via baby monitor, through his kids' adventures and misadventures, Wilder proves that he's laughing at himself most of all.

More than just "cute kid stories," Wilder explores the ways teaching his children right from wrong can often be unsettling for other adults, such as when his son decides to say the word "pussy" at many an inopportune time (not to mention "hipple") or teaching him about dwarfs ("dwarps" in London-speak). He explores his son's addiction to his nuzzies (blanket lint) and their attempts to wean him off of them.

Wilder also has an eye for the hypocrisy of other parents and teachers, pointing out their excesses and eccentricities. On the beach, he describes sitting near "High-Maintenance Mom" while he makes sand mermaids for his kids. When High-Maintenance Mom's daughter comes over to see what the fuss is about, Wilder writes: "The little girl left her mom and wandered over to what must have seemed like more fun than an outdoor office where your boss ignores you." No matter how much he may roll his eyes at certain parenting conventions, Wilder will never be the kind of dad who blatantly ignores his kids.

And, while humorous, Wilder exhibits a vulnerability that's refreshingly honest, most notably when he shares a crying bout upon observing his daughter on the playground. He's a dad who's willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, wearing a filthy Frosty the Snowman outfit, buying outrageous amounts of school supplies, and generally humoring his kids without spoiling them. His essays about his own father, whose love for Sam's Club knows no bounds, show their own deep connection.

Wilder's greatest gift is in making readers laugh, but never at the expense of anyone else. There are stories that his kids will likely one day laugh right along with, and he includes himself in the punchlines. He touches on telephone etiquette for kids, how to deal with his children's voluminous output of artwork, and balancing the needs and wants of two adults and two kids harmoniously, while also giving a glimpse into the rest of his family and his friends' adventures in parenting (where the terrible twos extend onward well past that famous age). This is well worth reading, whether you have (or even like) kids or not, and while his love and awe for his kids is clear from every page, Wilder manages to be hilarious and tender, but never sappy. Wilder doesn't claim to have all the answers, and learns along the way, painting fatherhood as an ongoing journey of learning, growing, and being changed by his role as a parent, and his humorous writing is all the better for this lack of a master plan or know-it-all advice. I will be giving this book to all the new dads I know.

Hilarious, closely-observed, refreshingly honest, moving in unexpected ways. The book deftly avoids the saccharine territory of so many books about parenting and just nails the strange, important details of domestic life. "Crying in America," a triptych of essays, is at the book's heart and ought to be shared widely.
In short, a great read and one I'm passing along to people of all stripes - men, women, those who parent, those who have been parented.

I'm not going to lie...I am not done with the book, YET! But in a wierd way, I don't want to finish it. I want it to keep on going...I want it to always be there, to crack me up with its unique and witty writing style. I want it to be there to make me laugh so loud, I startle my dog. I want to keep reading the funny accounts of Mr. Wilder's life...the parts that make me laugh even when I'm not reading...when I am walking around the mall, or sitting at the teacher's lounge eating lunch. Everyone says, "What are you laughing about?". I say, "Read the book!"

Trust me people, its HILARIOUS! You won't want it to end :)

If you are a parent or wanting to be a parent, you should definitely read this book by Robert Wilder. It is a collection of his memories as a father, from the first time he changed his daughter in an Olive Garden Restaurant men's room, to having worn a snowman suit called Frosty and baking in his own fart and stench just to get the love of his daughter. Wilder also narrates the frustrations of being a parent and drastically looking at it in a very side splitting and hilarious way. If you want a book that will make you "pee-in-your-pants-laugh-out-loud-kind" of way and if you want to see the different lengths parents will do to get their children's love, this is the book to read. You will also find in this book how a family friend reacts when his 3 year old son drops the "F-BOMB word", or when a 6 year old girl asks Wilder, "Daddy, what is rape?", and a kid's question on why the sky is blue followed by who, what where and when interrogations. Although this book is about parenting and children, Wilder's language is on the rated R range, which I think is a very effective tool for the adult readers to find amusing, not to mention one chapter that has rated R dialouges with.

Great book! I thoroughly enjoyed it - laughing out loud too many times to count! I bought another copy for my brother and his wife, who just had their first child 2 months ago. They agreed that "Daddy Needs a Drink" is better, and certainly more comical and realistic, than all the "how to raise a kid" books in circulation!

As an author (50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do) and a parent (Joshua, 2 1/2) I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Mr. Wilder not only has an entertaining, engaging writing style, but he is the rare person willing to admit that parenting has its downside. "Daddy Needs a Drink" was honest and refreshing. I highly reccomend it to anyone thinking of having kids or those who already have them because its nice to know that other people feel like this.

Daddy needs a drink is by turns sarcastic, endearing, and true-to-life. Not being a parent myself (maybe in a few years...) I don't quite relate to the situations, but my mother assures me she can see herself in many of Wilder's anecdotes. Whether you're a parent or not, this is a sweet and funny account of living in Santa Fe and being a dad. It's witty and quick enough for those of us who read often, but is also a good choice for those who don't, because it IS quick, and keeps things moving for readers with short attention spans.
Highly recommended!

Wilder's book is funny, not clever-sarcastic-funny, but the kind of funny that happens when you look closely at life the way it really happens. It's also a brave and generous book--he gives us an intimate look at his life as an truly engaged father, all sides, not just the funny stuff. I can't wait for his next book to come out!

Daddy Needs a Drink is hilarious! Life with children is never dull. Rob Wilder assures us of this with his perceptive and hysterical insights into his family life. I laughed out loud at his humorous depictions of everyday activities, from soccer games to dance class. You can't make this stuff up. It's real life, and it's a great book.