Why Have Kids?

“A brave and bracing critique of our unrealistic parenting ideals.” ~ELLE Magazine

“…a welcome tonic for both those with children and those who don’t.” ~Publisher’s Lunch

“[Why Have Kids?] is a call for much-needed change and may unite a new generation of moms..[it's] a politicized, anti-What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” ~Publishers Weekly

If parenting is making Americans unhappy, if it’s impossible to “have it all,” if people don’t have the economic, social, or political structures needed to support parenting, then why do it? And why are anxious new parents flocking to every Tiger Mother and Bébé-raiser for advice on how to raise kids?

In Why Have Kids?, Valenti explores these controversial questions through on-the-ground reporting, startling new research, and her own unique experiences as a mom. She moves beyond the black and white “mommy wars” over natural parenting, discipline, and work-life balance to explore a more nuanced reality: one filled with ambivalence, joy, guilt, and exhaustion. A must read for parents as well as those considering starting a family, Why Have Kids? is an explosive addition to the conversation about modern parenthood.

“In a culture that glamorizes motherhood, Jessica Valenti daringly articulates the hard work and the personal decisions that are an essential part of parenting. This book is a must-read for new parents.” — Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, New York Times best-selling author of The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

“Timely . . . [Valenti] states early on that her book is meant to anger people and incite discussions . . . She wades deeply into the moral and logistical problems facing mothers, with interviews, research and her own anecdotal experiences.” —Kirkus Reviews

For more conversation about Why Have Kids? and to buy the book, please click here.