10 survival tips for busy mums and dads
By Steve Chalke
Hodder & Stoughton. 168 pages. £5.99
ISBN 0 340 67903 4
Steve Chalke is a popular writer and broadcaster and has given us a very easy-to-read book.
It is written in brief chapters and the sections are peppered through with some 84 quotations, ranging from the humorous to the thought-provoking, from authors like Edward VIII, Mark Twain, Mary Quant, Kevin Costner, Bill Cosby, Harpo Marx, Andre Malraux and Oscar Wilde. Either the author is very widely read or has access to an excellent dictionary of quotations all relevant to his subject matter.
There are ten chapters of advice which, if heeded, should make the reader a successful parent, if not a perfect one. Though under-girded by a Christian ethos, this book is not specifically Christian. It is full of good common sense and that can be a rare commodity these days. Much of what Chalke writes will be helpful to young parents who have never been prepared for parenthood not having had adequate role models to imitate. Many stories and illustrations are drawn from popular films. Their impact is good only if you are familiar with the film's story-line.
In an effort to be chic, there are some throw-away comments in the book that are at best unfortunate and at worst blasphemous, though I am sure that was not the intention. For example: 'After all God had problems as a dad: just look how Adam and Eve turned out!' (p.14) adds nothing instructive and detracts from what could otherwise be a useful book.
As 'how-to' books go, this one could be of benefit to those sometimes struggling through their parental responsibilities with young children.
