• How Not to F*ck Up Your Kids Too Bad

  • By: Stephen Marche
  • Narrated by: Stephen Marche
  • Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (385 ratings)

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How Not to F*ck Up Your Kids Too Bad  By  cover art

How Not to F*ck Up Your Kids Too Bad

By: Stephen Marche
Narrated by: Stephen Marche
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Publisher's summary

Modern parenting is in a complicated place. By some estimates, fathers today spend seven times more time parenting than their dads did. And while there are a ton of parenting books, writer Stephen Marche says that most are aimed at women and are designed to make them feel like they are doing something wrong. 

Enter How Not to F*ck Up Your Kids Too Bad, an Audible Original. Across 10 chapters, Marche talks to real fathers and experts about thorny contemporary questions. He tackles everything from why yelling may be as bad as spanking to how to have tough conversations about racism in literature and how to talk to your kids about marijuana and porn in a way that won’t mess them up as adults…at least not too much. 

©2018 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2018 Audible Originals, LLC

Featured Article: The 10 Best Parenting Audiobooks


As many parents know all too well, there’s no official guide on how to raise your child. From all the ways you can show love and affection to the more difficult acts of helping them grow through discipline, each kid—and each family—is unique in what they need. A one-size-fits all approach doesn’t exist, which is why finding the advice and resources that best speak to you are so important. We’ve pooled together the top resources on parenting for all different styles and families, and parents looking for a wide breadth of advice.

Editor's Pick

Parenting is inevitably imperfect, but…
"After confessing to having yelled at my children in a particularly hangry moment the night prior, I asked Stephen Marche if he thinks parents should say they’re sorry after missteps. "Of course you should apologize to your kid" he told me. "I don't think showing vulnerability is ever a mistake. I really believe that." Marche also advocates for a nonjudgmental view of fellow parents (particularly when it comes to controversial approaches like free-range parenting), a realistic approach to how and when your kid should get a phone, and a surprising way of dealing with their inevitable discovery of porn. While it’s ostensibly directed toward the fathering side of the parenting equation, I can vouch for the fact that HNTFUYKTB has something to offer for us moms, too."
Courtney R., Audible Editor

What listeners say about How Not to F*ck Up Your Kids Too Bad

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

So good

Finally, something besides the preachy prescriptions of pediatrician authors. I love the voices of real moms and dads in this. It's a very fun listen, and something I took a lot away from!

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9 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

The one thing that changed how I am as a father

This book gave me a piece of advice that has changed me as a new parent: I do not use my phone or computer around my kid any more. Or at least, way, way less, and only when I have to. Thanks to this book I realized how kids seriously are effected by parents constantly staring at a screen, being there but not present at all. Its damaging and weird to be on our phones and not be paying attention to our kids, especially as fathers. We get a couple of hours here and there with our kids and we spend half of that time distracted by often total nonsense (social media, an email or text that can certainly wait) when our kids need affirmation, support, EYE contact. The book over all is a fun read, handles some questions I had not even thought of and gives real life insight with a good interviewer/host. There are no magic bullets. Just read/listen to this book and it will make you more conscious of your job. that's enough for me!

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8 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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disappointing

did not deliver what it claimed. nothing in book is more squarely aimed at parenting from fathers' perspective vs mothers'. deals with some headline issues but fails to capture day to day concerns of fathers. also does not distinguish concerns by age nor gender which can be relevant.

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great listen!

This is a great listen for sure! My only complaint would be I wish it had more information on earlier life subjects, would have like to get this type of take on actually raising your kids from a baby and up and how really not to fuck that part up 😅

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2 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Simply Terrible

The ideas in this are very elementary and not well thought out.
It is presented more like a podcast than a book.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic

It is fantastic, touches and questions some of most other same issues I have raising my child. It is open, inclusive and honest. His voice is beautiful and the format with other voices and interviews is genius. Thanks!

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2 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting, funny at times and relatable.

Struggled in a few spots. This is not your dad's parenting guide. Very new age. Felt like it was missing content. No talk of sports or a thing that is even remotely manly. Oh what have we become?

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Realistic and relevant

Fantastic listen with relevant points. The ideas shared on how to handle racist children’s books were great and put some tough topics in perspective for my wife and I. Thanks Audible!

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Nice listen

Was fun to listen to to, educational and entertaining. Would definitely recommend to not just fathers but anyone with kids.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoy it

Some ideas, and meanings I find them wrong but I really enjoy it. I recommended if your gonna make your own research.

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