Baltimore Sun – Humor writer gives parents their due

Baltimore Sun – Humor writer gives parents their due

REVIEW: The Three-Martini Playdate The Baltimore Sun: Humor writer gives parents their due They shouldn’t center their life around kids, says Christie Mellor In her irreverent guide to child-rearing, author Christie Mellor makes the case that children should never have become the center of the adult universe and are, frankly, only as good as their last martini. To buttress her point in “The Three-Martini Playdate: A Practical Guide to Happy Parenting” (Chronicle Books, $12.95), she includes a recipe any youngster should be able to master. “All young children should know how to make this delightful yet deceptively simple cocktail for their parents and other thirsty grown-ups who drop by around 5 o’clock,” writes the first-time author and veteran parent. She suggests that your preschooler also be taught to ask “Olive or twist?” and to say “Cheers!” For parents, this book is the ticket off the child-centric hamster wheel. It is a laugh-a-page guide to benign neglect, and it wittily makes the case that children were put on this Earth to wait on their parents and not the other way around. In her chapter “Child labor: not just for the Third World!” Mellor talks about chores and gives this advice: “Compliment your child’s work and encourage thoroughness, reminding him that if he lived in Pakistan or Turkey he would be hunkered over a loom for nine hours a day, or busy hand- knotting rugs in a very stuffy room.” “I had been stewing about this for a long time,” said Mellor, mother of 12-year-old Edison and 7-year-old Atticus. “I got so tired of all the precious mommies and daddies who...

The Charlotte Observer – “Mellor serves up a chuckle-filled read”

REVIEW: The Three-Martini Playdate The Charlotte Observer – “Mellor serves up a chuckle-filled read” PAPERBACK Over-the-top parenting guide THE THREE-MARTINI PLAYDATE: A Practical Guide to Happy Parenting By Christie Mellor. Chronicle Books. 143 pages. $12.95. With tongue firmly planted in cheek (or is it?), Christie Mellor serves up a chuckle-filled read on having children. Encouraging old school parenting values, the mother of two “darling little angels” asks in the introduction: “Remember when we couldn’t wait to grow up so we could be in charge?” The wee book is packed with tips, opinions, recipes and retro illustrations all aimed at pointing out just how outrageous some parents can be. A sample of the chapters that will have nonperfect mommies and daddies shouting “Amen!” include: “The Childproof House: How to Know if You’ve Gone Too Far,” “Bedtime: Is 5:30 too Early?” and “Preschool: The Fast Track to Harvard.” — RACHEL SUTHERLAND, STAFF...