Baby Not on Board: A Celebration of Life without Kids

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 144 pages
• Published by: Chronicle Books; New title edition July 7, 2005
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0811847977
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0811847971
• Book Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Weighs: 5.6 ounces

Product Review
"Shawne glorifies the life of what she terms 'unparents.'" -- The Washington Post

"a fast and devilishly funny read." -- The Plain Dealer

"a fun and witty guide to breaking the news to your grandchildren-eager parents" -- Dayton Daily News

"[Shawne's] book uses humor to [suggest ways of] making the most of your tot-free days." -- Houston Chronicle

"[the book] welcomes like-minded readers into a lively, if sometimes a bit crass, world of what Shawne calls 'unparenting.'" -- Chicago Sun-Times

Product Description
For anyone who's wondered, "Why have kids when I could have fun instead?" here's a warm and hilarious welcome to the wonderful world of unparenting! The childfree life is growing in popularity, and finally here is a book that celebrates the wisdom and wonder of that choice. For those who cherish their white shag carpet and glass coffee table, this highly interactive book with quizzes, sidebars, and handy checklists offers a range of helpful, unparenting information including ways to throw oneself an unbaby shower and strategies for coping with dreaded OPCs (other people's children). Baby Not on Board reminds us all that having a baby is great, but NOT having a baby is really, really great.

Reader Reviews
As one of the "selfish" and "barren" adults for whom "Baby Not On Board" (BNOB) is intended, I found Shawne's book the perfect antidote to the daunting cultural imperatives my wife and I have felt to BREED BREED BREED. Spiced with witty illustrations and dripping with interesting comparison tables, resources, and cheeky "advice," the book (finally!) says out loud what many of us have been thinking quietly for a long time: that on this already-overpopulated planet, those of us who have chosen to live our lives for *ourselves and not our offspring have every right to be loud and proud about it. Philosophy aside, BNOB is a brutally funny, dead-on counterpunch to the world of having babies, balancing honesty with cheeky humor, and toeing a careful line between saying what's necessary and provoking the poor breeders. I loved its candid assessments like "carrying a back-breaking watermelon" or long list of celebrities who elected to forego having children. Comparisons like "A Saturday With/Without Kids" clearly contextualizes the difference between two life-changing decisions in a simple, understandable way. There are dozens of examples like this, most of them hilarious -- "Lost in Translation," which explains how to swear in the presence of innocent little ears, made me laugh so hard I blew expensive champagne out my nose. Child-burdened folks may find themselves offended or defensive, occasionally, since Shawne pokes prose pins in many of their rationalizations. But they have to understand: we've been silent for a long time, putting up with their offsprings' interruptions of our movies and plane flights, even getting their parents out of work now and then. (What's OUR excuse? Our cat is sick?) Frankly, we were tired of the inequity. (Actually, parents probably won't have time to read the book -- not for another 18 years, at least.) For our bumper, we already have a STOP BREEDING sticker; for all our child-free friends, we're picking up a copy of BNOB.