Child-Raising Books for Queer and Straight Moms Alike

Dawn Dais knows her sh!t. Really. The author of three “The Sh!t No One Tells You” books on parenting, Dais offers advice with a dose of unfiltered humor and scary realism. She’s a lesbian mom herself, but her books are for and about moms of all sexual orientations.

Her first book, The Sh!t No One Tells You: A Guide to Surviving Your Baby’s First Year, is filled with chapters like, “And You Thought Pregnancy Was Hard,” “Breastfeeding Is Really F’n Hard,” “You’ll Never Sleep Again,” “You Can’t Afford This,” “Your Body Is Ruined,” and “You’ll Probably Want a Divorce.” Despite the gloomy titles, her view of parenting is ultimately positive, as I noted in my longer review when the book first came out. She draws on both her own experience and that of a set of queer and straight friends, her “moms on the front lines,” or MOFLs, The book is clearly aimed at moms who gave birth, who will likely feel the most resonance with it—but other parents of infants may also find much to laugh at and be inspired by.

The Sh!t No One Tells You About Toddlers continues Dais’ blunt and funny approach, backed by her MOFLs and the input of two professional therapists. Chapters include “You Suck at This,” “Restaurants are Battle Zones,” and “You Will Never Have Another Conversation.”

The Sh!t No One Tells You About Baby #2 explains what happens with another small human in the mix, informing readers  “Baby #1 Will Have No Patience for Your Pregnancy,” “You May Be All Out of Shits,” and “Everything Is So Damn Loud.”

“Remember how cute Child #1 was in the bath?… Oh, the bubbles, giggles, and clean body parts,” she reminisces. Once Child #2 arrives, however, “We have now entered the Battle of the Bath…. No matter how many toys there are, each child will obsess over the same rubber duck.”

As with her previous books, there’s genuine advice mixed with the humor—but more important than the practical tips is the sense of support. Dais shows us that other moms have been through what we’re experiencing and lived to tell the tale. So will we. While some of the chapters again apply only to those who have borne kids, much of book is devoted to the kid-wrangling to which any parent of more than one young tot can relate. Above all, Dais proves once again that much parenting advice transcends sexual orientation. If your kids are leaving you all out of sh!ts to give today, try some of hers.

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