Kids Driving You Crazy?

The Pissed-Off Parents Club
by Mink Elliot

Genre; Fiction/Comedy
Publisher; Sphere/Great Britain/2010
Pages; 373
ISBN; 9780751543391

Plot; Roxane and Jack are new parents and, like a lot of new parents, they are struggling. With the financial crisis ripping people from their jobs, causing families to battle restricted finances, Jack and Roxane decided to sell up and move from chaotic London to the less stressful and less expensive countryside.

The only trouble is, Jack still works in the city, meaning Roxane and the baby are often left alone for most of the week.

Rox is fed up and alone. After a trip to the doctors she is able to discount Post Natal Depression, but she is still feeling unhappy and isolated. What Roxane needs is someone to talk to.

What better way to get all your worries off your chest that to have a glass of wine, a few ciggies and a bitch at the local pub with a group of equally annoyed and detached parents.

Welcome, the inaugural meeting of The Pissed-Off Parents Club.

My Thoughts; This book understood me like no other book I have read. I felt like one of the group, surrounded by other parents who feel the same way I do and know what a struggle each day can be.

I picked this book off the shelf, purely and simply, because of the title. I thought, "this title really embodies my emotions at this point in time", so I grabbed it and ran straight home to read it.

From the first page I knew I would enjoy every moment of this read. Not only does it understand the woes of modern day parenting, but it makes you laugh at every turn. Elliot makes you realise that you are not alone, and that those evil thoughts you have at times are the same thoughts parents across the world are having too.

This book is like the self help guide for new parents, who hate self help guides. Not on how to change nappies or how to get a toddler to eat vegetables, but this book, to put it simply, makes you feel better.

New parents can often feel alone. They can feel as though they are doing everything wrong. This book puts your mind at ease because you realise that you are just normal.

There were so many times when I thought, "oh, I have done that too!" as I read through this story. It is so realistic and so believable and I think that most parents would see themselves, or things they have done, at some point during the read.

The book itself is written in such a relaxed manner, that you feel as though you are just having a chat with a friend, and each character is like a friend. They are all enjoyable in their own ways, and I found it quite easy to relate to each character in some way or another; from the gay uncle, forced to take care of his sisters children, to the glamour-puss, with the rich and absent husband, to the single mum, forced to work long hours at the local convenience store.

Most importantly, this book is funny. I started to read it on the train and there was one point in the book that was so true and so funny that I couldn't help but laugh out loud, and I don't mean a quick "ha" I mean a full force roar with laughter, tears and all.

I think that every new parent should be given this book, especially the nervous types, or the ones who question each move they make. Not only is it entertaining, and damn funny, but it acts as a wonderful security blanket.

Happy Reading!