I Killed June Cleaver: Modern Moms Shatter the Myth of Perfect Parenting [Paperback]

Deborah Werksman (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1999

I Killed June Cleaver is a collection of funny and light-hearted essays about parenthood, encompassing the notion that a mother needn't be an over-achiever, and that whatever works is the way to go. One of the few books to address motherhood beyond the infant/toddler phases, I Killed June Cleaver includes such stories as:

"What They Don't Teach You in Childbirth Class"
"Why It Takes Mom a Week to Get Over the 24-Hour flu"
"Laundry Mom"
"The Children's Car Pool Accord"
"The Young Adults Return"
"Mom and Dad Are Doin' It (Or Trying To)"
"It's Wednesday and I Don't Have Any Clean Underwear"

The new model of motherhood in these pages is a loving but human mom, whom you'll never see pushing a vacuum cleaner while wearing cultured pearls. This mom may or may not be a good cook, she's pretty tired, she probably hasn't had time to get a haircut in many months and she more or less calibrates her calendar to her car pool days. Moms today are under more pressure than ever. These humorous essays serve as a relief valve.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

You don't bake? You're not in full make-up for the car pool? You don't wear high heels and pearls to do the vacuuming?

You're not a bad mother-You're a bad June Cleaver!

It's time to do away with the image of the ideal mom-the one living in a spotless house with fresh cookies in the oven, nail polish that doesn't chip, and little darlings she never has to scream at in public.

Let's be real-sometimes fast food is the only food. Sometimes dust bunnies can be used as decorations. Sometimes (gasp) mom just needs a break.

Today's moms know that you don't have to be perfect to be a perfectly wonderful parent. In thirty honest essays, loving-but-frazzled women air their dirty laundry and show just why it's important to balance sanity with raising kids.

About the Author

Deborah Werksman is a humor editor and publisher. She co-published The Quayle Quarterly, a political satire magazine about former Vice President Dan Quayle, and founded Hysteria, formerly a women's humor magazine, now a line of humor books. She is the mother of two, and bears no resemblance whatsoever to June Cleaver, even on her best days.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Hysteria Publications (April 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1887166475
• ISBN-13: 978-1887166478
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #918,981 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Hysterical!!, August 20, 2009

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kitten (NY) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: I Killed June Cleaver: Modern Moms Shatter the Myth of Perfect Parenting (Paperback)

I'm not a mom but I had seen this book when it first came out that a friend of mine had when she had her second little boy... Just the title made me laugh because she had that type of sense of humor.
Like I did say I am not a mom BUT I am the oldest of six...so I guess that always made me "mini mom" is what I tell people because I ALWAYS had to help with "the kids" and I can really relate to this book AND June.
If you want a good laugh in between your parenting...get this. The various stories in here are too funny!