Because I Said So…

When a stay-at-home mom posted a baseball for sale on eBay along with a hilarious essay about its adventures in her home, she struck gold. The ball sold for more than $1,000, and Meehan had an instant audience. Readers flocked to the blog she started about her chaotic life, mainly because it made theirs seem less so. Because I Said So … and Other Tales From a Less-Than-Perfect Parent is Dawn Meehan’s book of humorous essays about parenting, which stresses that it’s OK not to have it all together. Laugh-out-loud antics are balanced with poignant insights on the joys of rearing children—and Meehan and her husband have six.

Her faith is evident throughout, but is never preached. Meehan’s eBay essay about the baseball that “started it all” is also included, as is a section of frequently asked questions. Most of the time Meehan’s writing succeeds in providing an inspirational laugh and a pat on the back to today’s parents, though her extreme sarcasm is at times too biting-she repeatedly refers to her husband as her seventh child-and loses its appeal. But, like her parenting, Meehan doesn’t claim to be a parenting expert, so a few missteps may be overlooked.

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