“The Girlfriends’ Guide To Toddlers,” by Vicki Iovine

I just finished reading The Girlfriends’ Guide to Toddlers, by Vicki Iovine, and I have to say: YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK. (By “you” here I mean “all of you who are mothers of toddlers or babies who one day will be toddlers”…..though others of you who have already raised toddlers might find it entertaining and amusing…and a way to reminisce and laugh at those of us who are still there.)

I seriously thought this book was great. It took me longer to read than it takes me with most books, which seems strange until I remember that I have a toddler. =)

Vicki Iovine is hilarious. She doesn’t have a degree in child psychology or early childhood education or anything like that which would make her a certifiable expert on the subject of toddlers, but she has raised 4 children through toddlerhood. I consider that more than enough training to fill us in on the intricacies of the toddler psyche, which she does beautifully. She has a way of getting the reader into the mind of a toddler which, though scary, is very enlightening and helpful as we try to figure out what on earth these little people could be thinking. Leah’s just a very young toddler, but I can see a lot of truth in what this book says as I watch her exploring and navigating the world around her.

My favorite part of this book was the simple fact that the stories and insights constantly reminded me that I’m not alone in this game of motherhood. As a stay-at-home mother of a child who’s really too young for real playdates, it’s easy for me to think sometimes that I’m the only one. This book, though, shows that not only am I the only one who’s here, but that I – and Leah – will survive this interesting stage of life, and we’ll both be stronger for it.

Vicki Iovine has also written girlfriends’ guides to pregnancy (which I read) and the first year of a baby’s life (which I somehow didn’t read). Grab one. Seriously.