All Joy and No Fun

The Paradox of Modern Parenthood

By: Jennifer Senior

Narrated by: Jennifer Senior

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Thousands of books have examined the effects of parents on their children. But almost none have thought to ask: What are the effects of children on their parents?

In All Joy and No Fun, award-winning journalist Jennifer Senior tries to tackle this question, isolating and analyzing the many ways in which children reshape their parents' lives, whether it's their marriages, their jobs, their habits, their hobbies, their friendships, or their internal senses of self. She argues that changes in the last half century have radically altered the roles of today's mothers and fathers, making their mandates at once more complex and far less clear. Recruiting from a wide variety of sources - in history, sociology, economics, psychology, philosophy, and anthropology - she dissects both the timeless strains of parenting and the ones that are brand new, and then brings her research to life in the homes of ordinary parents around the country. The result is an unforgettable series of family portraits, starting with parents of young children and progressing to parents of teens. Through lively and accessible storytelling, Senior follows these mothers and fathers as they wrestle with some of parenthood's deepest vexations - and luxuriate in some of its fi nest rewards.

Meticulously researched yet imbued with emotional intelligence, All Joy and No Fun makes us reconsider some of our culture's most basic beliefs about parenthood, all while illuminating the profound ways children deepen and add purpose to our lives. By focusing on parenthood, rather than parenting, this audiobook is original and essential listening for mothers and fathers of today - and tomorrow.

©2014 Jennifer Senior (P)2014 HarperCollinsPublishers

Worth the read

Excellent survey of research and data, touching and inspiring, and shifted how I think about the challenges and joys of families. It is less dark than I imagined from other reviews.

finally the truth!

thank you for finally sharing the measurable truth of parenting, highly recommended to all parents looking for validation for all the feelings that come with the job, good and bad

Fascinating look at modern parenting

This book is a fascinating research-based look at modern parenting and its hardships and joys. Each chapter advances through each phase of childhood and into adolescence. As the father of a 1-year-old, the first few chapters were somehow both eye-opening and relatable, knowing what my wife and I were going through was shared almost universally. And though I couldn’t appreciate the later chapters as much from an experience perspective, I feel like I will be a little bit better prepared for the emotional toll that having an adolescent will have.

The book is read by the author, and I think it really helps when she tells little side stories about parents to guide you into her research on each topic. The book is a fairly quick read that is surprisingly engaging, given how deeply she digs into the weeds of all the various studies.

All in all, highly recommended for any parents or parents-to-be. I’ve already recommended it to my wife!

Loved!

I really enjoyed, loved, & learned many new interesting things from this book! It's a great non-parenting book, about what parenting is all about, in all of the mess & craziness.

Thought provoking

Would you consider the audio edition of All Joy and No Fun to be better than the print version?

Not necessarily

What does Jennifer Senior bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her inflection and emphasis is perfect because she knows this material so well.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, there's way too much information to be absorbed at once. This a book that can be better appreciated by listening intermittently.

Any additional comments?

Jennifer Senior has a husky voice which made me initially think she suffered from a cold. In the beginning I found her somewhat hard to understand, but I got used to her cadence and felt ultimately her knowledge of the material made her the best reader possible.

step parent relief

I was dating a divorced man with 4 kids and things were getting serious. I've never had children in my life before, and I was nervous to be around them. Although I know that step-parents have their own set of unique challenges, reading this book helped me calm my fears and think, "maybe I can do this."

A must-read for all parents.

So so good. Every parent or aspiring parent should read this. I felt seen and heard. And that is invaluable in what can often be an isolating and lonely pursuit.

Young and not young parents

Enjoyed very much, when asked by a young (new) parents if there is a book to help set expectations, this is it. Mine are 9 & 11 & I will be a better parent.

Insightful!

I loved this book. It helped me understand some of the challenges of parenting and put them in perspective. I loved hearing other parents thoughts and reactions to issues I deal with all the time. Great book!!!

A joy to listen to

Would you listen to All Joy and No Fun again? Why?

Possibly. I don't generally listen to/read books more than once.

Which character – as performed by Jennifer Senior – was your favorite?

Jennifer Senior - she was brilliant as herself

What did you learn from All Joy and No Fun that you would use in your daily life?

Great practical tips on big-picture parenting theory.

Any additional comments?

All parents should read this.