MOM, THERE'S A MAN IN THE KITCHEN AND HE'S WEARING YOUR ROBE: The Single Mother's Guide to Dating and Parenting

Dating is hard at any age, but dating as a suddenly "uncoupled" mother comes with an entirely new set of challenges, which Fisher explores in a realistic, nonjudgmental fashion. "As... I prepared to reenter the dating world," she says, "my parents were no longer waiting up for me. Instead, my children were." In the voice of a trusted girlfriend, Fisher delivers honest advice, a fresh perspective and comic relief as she guides newly single moms toward the goal of dating well without parenting badly: "When you begin dating, your judgment becomes impaired. You worry about your children's behavior and don't even consider your own. You often don't think about how you've slipped from being Carol Brady to Peggy Bundy." Having been through the dating-while-parenting experience twice—once as a widow, once as a divorcée—Fisher seamlessly combines her own hard-won wisdom (date only when you feel ready) with the anecdotal experiences of other mothers (never assume that your child is sound asleep when your date turns passionate). Practical tips for how to meet men (including an excellent chapter on how to use the Internet safely) and quips from the children of dating moms ("I just don't want to see or hear about it") round out this useful book. (Feb.)