Moms and dads today worry they're bad parents. They see others on Facebook and Pinterest showing off their smiley, perfect, put-together spotless children creating masterworks of art in their gorgeously designed playrooms. They constantly hear moms brag about whipping up three-course gourmet dinners while their kids sit quietly reading books far beyond their grade level. They read posts from parents complaining that they can't get their daughter to eat her French fries because she's too full from broccoli.
But Karen Alpert knows this is not reality. Despite what you hear and read every day, you do not need to be perfect to be a kickass parent. Parenting is messy. Parenting is hard. Parenting brings out the best AND the worst in adults. And some of the best parents in the world are mediocre parents. Karen proudly admits she's a mediocre parent, and in I Want My Epidural Back she'll make you believe that "mediocre parents are awesome too."
Karen shares her honest, crass, pee-in-your-pants funny observations, stories, quips, and essays on discipline, potty training, eating, sleeping and more that will make you laugh and have you nodding your head in recognition. Observing the world of parents and children through her edgy and unique perspective, Karen brings reality into focus, reminding moms and dads everywhere to celebrate and embrace their own not-so-perfect-yet-totally-wonderful parenthood.
Karen Alpert loves her family, chocolate and writing, in that order. So when she's not taking care of her kiddos or drinking Hershey's syrup straight from the bottle, she's probably working on her blog Baby Sideburns where she entertains hundreds of thousands of stressed out parents every day. She is a New York Times bestselling author and also an expert nagger who relentlessly badgers her husband until he finally breaks down and does what she wants.