'Bobbie's children never listen to a word she says. Even worse, her mother has a new boyfriend: the notorious child expert Dr Know, who dishes out hard-line advice to the nation. Could parenting classes control her kids - and save her marriage? Andy's wife is due to run a Perfect Parents course at the local school. But when she scarpers, he's left to look after their two teenage
daughters - and face his own childhood demons. Vanessa has found love, second-time round. But one night, six-year-old Sunshine is deposited on her doorstep with a message from Vanessa's estranged daughter, 'Please look after her'. This time she's determined to get it right. Can Bobbie, Andy and Vanessa really learn the secret of raising a happy family?'
If anyone’s in need of some parenting advice its mum-of-two-little-horrors Bobbie – with a husband who’s always working, Bobbie struggles to control her children, and could really do with a hand! When parenting classes start up at her children’s school, Bobbie decides to join one for parents with young children, trying not to be too put off by the fact that the class for parents of teenagers is due to be run by Bobbie’s perfect sister-in-law, Pamela, whose teenage daughters never seem to put a foot wrong.
Joining Bobbie in the class is Vanessa, who finds her granddaughter, Sunshine, left with her one night. As her daughter seems in no hurry to return to her little girl, it looks like Vanessa had better get used to having a child around again.
Andy, husband to Pamela, doesn’t normally have much to do with bringing up his children, he’s usually working. But when Pamela disappears to her mother’s, Andy’s left to run her parenting class. The problem is that a few days in charge at home quickly teaches Andy that his daughters aren’t nearly as well behaved as he thought, and he’s in desperate need of some parenting
guidance himself!
My favourite character in the novel was undoubtedly Andy – I loved how shocked he is when he discovers just what his daughters are really like! It was also brilliant when he’s told off by the cleaning lady when he takes over some of her jobs out of pure boredom at being stuck at home all the time.
I felt sorry for Bobbie, who really isn’t coping with her children, but I also found her very frustrating: she keeps getting herself into one mess after another, the woman’s a liability! I thought her relationship with Andy was very interesting, and extremely well written from both of their viewpoints.
The scenes set in the parenting classes themselves were very good – there was a wonderful mixture of problems that every parent can relate to combined with more serious issues, and some very funny anecdotes and parenting
suggestions!
Well, I’m not sure I’d give this book to anyone planning on having children soon: the kids in it are a bunch of rotters! What a horrid lot! No wonder their parents join the classes – it gives them a few hours away from their hideous offspring! However, this makes a fab read for those of us who are parents: it’s funny and poignant, with some nice little twists in the tale, and whilst reading it you can be pretty confident you can’t possibly be doing as
bad a job as some of this lot!
4 stars
daughters - and face his own childhood demons. Vanessa has found love, second-time round. But one night, six-year-old Sunshine is deposited on her doorstep with a message from Vanessa's estranged daughter, 'Please look after her'. This time she's determined to get it right. Can Bobbie, Andy and Vanessa really learn the secret of raising a happy family?'
If anyone’s in need of some parenting advice its mum-of-two-little-horrors Bobbie – with a husband who’s always working, Bobbie struggles to control her children, and could really do with a hand! When parenting classes start up at her children’s school, Bobbie decides to join one for parents with young children, trying not to be too put off by the fact that the class for parents of teenagers is due to be run by Bobbie’s perfect sister-in-law, Pamela, whose teenage daughters never seem to put a foot wrong.
Joining Bobbie in the class is Vanessa, who finds her granddaughter, Sunshine, left with her one night. As her daughter seems in no hurry to return to her little girl, it looks like Vanessa had better get used to having a child around again.
Andy, husband to Pamela, doesn’t normally have much to do with bringing up his children, he’s usually working. But when Pamela disappears to her mother’s, Andy’s left to run her parenting class. The problem is that a few days in charge at home quickly teaches Andy that his daughters aren’t nearly as well behaved as he thought, and he’s in desperate need of some parenting
guidance himself!
My favourite character in the novel was undoubtedly Andy – I loved how shocked he is when he discovers just what his daughters are really like! It was also brilliant when he’s told off by the cleaning lady when he takes over some of her jobs out of pure boredom at being stuck at home all the time.
I felt sorry for Bobbie, who really isn’t coping with her children, but I also found her very frustrating: she keeps getting herself into one mess after another, the woman’s a liability! I thought her relationship with Andy was very interesting, and extremely well written from both of their viewpoints.
The scenes set in the parenting classes themselves were very good – there was a wonderful mixture of problems that every parent can relate to combined with more serious issues, and some very funny anecdotes and parenting
suggestions!
Well, I’m not sure I’d give this book to anyone planning on having children soon: the kids in it are a bunch of rotters! What a horrid lot! No wonder their parents join the classes – it gives them a few hours away from their hideous offspring! However, this makes a fab read for those of us who are parents: it’s funny and poignant, with some nice little twists in the tale, and whilst reading it you can be pretty confident you can’t possibly be doing as
bad a job as some of this lot!
4 stars
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