Mean Moms Rule: Why Doing the Hard Stuff Now Creates Good Kids Later

Freelance writer and mother of two, Schipani asserts that parents (in particular moms) who coddle their children, try to be their “friend,” or take a child-centric or helicopter approach to parenting aren’t doing their kids any favors. To counteract the trend toward warm and fuzzy parenting, she presents 10 “Mean Mom Manifestos” in separate chapters (e.g., “Hang On to Yourself. You May Need that Person Later,” “Don’t Follow the Parenting Pack,” “Take (or Take Back) Control”). Schipani urges moms to take charge and teach life skills so that kids will grow up to be confidant, capable adults. “Mean,” by the author’s definition, entails bucking the prevailing parenting trend, liberally using “the No word,” and taking “the long view of parenting” by placing more emphasis on future outcome than jumping to meet kids’ demands all day long. Schipani has a solid track record of writing on parenting topics and no shortage of opinions. Self-described as “relentlessly practical” she is also funny, witty, and loaded with suggestions for keeping kids in their place (e.g., stash the grown-up ice cream in the back of the freezer and eat it after they go to bed). While some readers will find the author’s mean-mom shtick a bit jarring (though hip and catchy, perhaps the word “mean” is ill-chosen), others will welcome the message that when mean moms “rule,” kids benefit. (Apr.)