Confessions of a Slacker Wife by Muffy Mead-Ferro Paperback US $12.95 CAN $16.95 UK £10.50 0738210161 Published by Da Capo Press

"I often thought to myself, 'If I really want to compete with these guys, I need a wife,'" begins Muffy Mead-Ferro in this ode to the women everywhere who are trying to take care of husbands, children, houses, jobs, bosses, clients, customers — and, oh yes, themselves!

In lieu of that much-needed wife of her own, Mead-Ferro finds solace, sanity, and even success by embracing her famous tendency toward slackerdom. Full of personal anecdotes and real-wife wisdom, her latest Confessions offers precious comic relief and an invitation for wives everywhere to join the ranks!

A slacker wife has the wisdom to accept the following: that a little dirt on her kitchen floor doesn't hurt anyone, that wrinkles on her husband's shirt and on her face are perfectly natural and not worth worrying about, that party guests can be just as happy with a bowl of chips as an elaborate salmon mousse, and that over-scheduled equals under-happy.

Above all, a slacker wife lets herself have fun being a wife. She has girls' weekends, orders take-out, and takes leisurely walks. And as a result, she, her husband, and her family are happier and healthier-even with a dirty kitchen floor and a wrinkled shirt.

Confessions of a Slacker Mom by Muffy Mead-Ferro Paperback US $12.95 CAN $17.95 UK £9.99 0738209945 Published by Da Capo Press

Parents who are fed up with the pressure to turn their children into star athletes, concert violinists, and merit scholars — all at once! — finally have an alternative: the world of Slacker Moms, where kids learn to do things for themselves and parents can cut themselves some slack; where it's perfectly all right to do less, have less, and spend less.

Slacker moms say "No" to parenting philosophies that undermine parents' — and children's — ability to think for themselves. They say "Yes" to saving their money and time by opting out of the parenting competition. And they say "Hell, Yes!" to having a life of their own, knowing it makes them better parents.

In this witty and insightful book, author Muffy Mead-Ferro reflects on her experience of growing up on a ranch in Wyoming, where parenting — by necessity — was more hands-off, people "made do" with what they had, and common sense and generational wisdom prevailed. We should all take her sane lead!