Motherhood Smotherhood: Fighting Back Against the Lactivists, Mompetitions, Germophobes, and So-Called Experts Who Are Driving Us Crazy

In her first book, Keith, a mother of two, presents an irreverent manifesto for cavalier mothering. Her philosophy in a nutshell: “I try not to be a dick to my kids, but it’s okay if sometimes they are inconvenienced by my need to be a human in addition to being a mother.” Keith wants mothers to do what works for them, rather than drive themselves crazy in the quest for perfection. According to Keith, decisions that are often cast as “moral imperatives,” such as natural childbirth, are just not that big a deal. With ample self-deprecation, she recalls some of her parenting choices (such as zealously attending mommy groups), rails against the obsession with homemade baby food, and blasts the habit of thanking dad for “babysitting” his children. Though the chapter urging women to shelve the mommy wars is brave and important, and many new mothers will enjoy Keith’s musings, the book feels light on content. Agent: Jill Marr, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. (Sept.)