Lessons from a Default Parent
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Home > Health, Relationships and Personal development > Family and health > Parenting: advice and issues > Lessons from a Default Parent: Surviving the Front Line of Family Life (Without Losing Your Sh*t)
Lessons from a Default Parent: Surviving the Front Line of Family Life (Without Losing Your Sh*t)

Lessons from a Default Parent: Surviving the Front Line of Family Life (Without Losing Your Sh*t)


     0     
5
4
3
2
1



Out of Stock


Notify me when this book is in stock
X
About the Book

'Funny, reflective and honest. Reading this book is like sitting down with your bestie for a proper mumlife debrief’ – Giovanna Fletcher

‘More demanding than ‘hell’, this is parenting purgatory for authentic women who’ve put their lives on hold to be mummy’ – Katherine Ryan
‘A brilliant, comforting and funny read for any default parent’ – Ellie Taylor
___

What nobody tells you about parenthood, from one of the ‘silent partners’ behind the Parenting Hell podcast.

School-run coordinator, party planner, clubs organiser, laundry sorter… and maybe even a ‘real’ job on top! Sound exhaustingly familiar?


From assumptions surrounding who is going to stay at home with the kids to the never-ending list of school admin, being ‘the default parent’ rears its head in a plethora of ways.

This book is for all the defaults out there – bored out of their eyeballs or so overwhelmed they could scream expletives into the wind for a solid hour – to know their invisible labour is seen and valued.

With heartfelt and hilarious advice, Lou Beckett provides much-needed comfort and community for the one who is depended on the most (and often feels appreciated the least), and maybe – just maybe – how we can begin to rebalance the parenting scales and muddle through a little better, together.



About the Author :
Lou Beckett is a mother of two, ex-secondary school teacher, and wife to Rob Beckett. The (mostly) silent participant of the incredibly successful Parenting Hell podcast (spoken about, not to, except for the occasional 'right to reply' episodes), she can speak about the similarly ‘silent’ issues: default parenting, emotional labour, and managing the mental load of parenthood. Her popular blog post, A Very Long Whinge, prompted many ‘me too’ moments from parents.

Review :
More demanding than ‘hell’, this is parenting purgatory for authentic women who’ve put their lives on hold to be mummy. Funny, articulate, reflective and honest: it's like sitting down with your bestie for a proper mumlife debrief. It’s a non-judgemental hand in the dark, an acknowledgement of what it is to be the default parent and a reminder that we’re all just trying to do our best. I love it. Why has no one written this book before? We bloody need this book. A fun and funny polemic on something deadly serious. Lou writes with such candour and honesty about mum’ing and life; she’s made me laugh and cry at the same time, what I call 'craffing'. Read this book immediately. Being the default parent is a joyous privilege and the heaviest burden. Lou just gets it. This book will resonate with so many parents who have the family they always wanted but sometimes feel they’ve had to sacrifice their sense of self worth to get it. A brilliant, comforting, funny read for any default parent who, after a day of fish fingers and swimming lesson has whispered to themselves “I just want to feel important again…”. Who knew? Maybe I'm the default parent. This book is hilarious and full of common sense. Lou is certainly an expert on all things parenting; not only has she raised two wonderful children she has also put up with her husband Rob, who has been teething for 38 years. This book needed to exist; it is a witty and wise snapshot of how parenting works in the 21st century. Lou writes like she parents, with humour, empathy, joy and a skill most of us can only dream of. Lou is a proper mum who totally gets it! This book is laugh-out-loud funny and keeps it real about just how bonkers and hard parenting can be. Honestly you’ll be nodding, crying and cackling all at the same time. I loved it.



Product Details
  • ISBN-13: 9780241813041
  • Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd
  • Publisher Imprint: DK RED
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0241813042
  • Publisher Date: 12 Feb 2026
  • Binding: Digital (delivered electronically)
  • Sub Title: Surviving the Front Line of Family Life (Without Losing Your Sh*t)


Similar Products

Add Photo
Add Photo

Customer Reviews

REVIEWS      0     
Click Here To Be The First to Review this Product
Lessons from a Default Parent: Surviving the Front Line of Family Life (Without Losing Your Sh*t)
Dorling Kindersley Ltd -
Lessons from a Default Parent: Surviving the Front Line of Family Life (Without Losing Your Sh*t)
Writing guidlines
We want to publish your review, so please:
  • keep your review on the product. Review's that defame author's character will be rejected.
  • Keep your review focused on the product.
  • Avoid writing about customer service. contact us instead if you have issue requiring immediate attention.
  • Refrain from mentioning competitors or the specific price you paid for the product.
  • Do not include any personally identifiable information, such as full names.

Lessons from a Default Parent: Surviving the Front Line of Family Life (Without Losing Your Sh*t)

Required fields are marked with *

Review Title*
Review
    Add Photo Add up to 6 photos
    Would you recommend this product to a friend?
    Tag this Book Read more
    Does your review contain spoilers?
    What type of reader best describes you?
    I agree to the terms & conditions
    You may receive emails regarding this submission. Any emails will include the ability to opt-out of future communications.

    CUSTOMER RATINGS AND REVIEWS AND QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TERMS OF USE

    These Terms of Use govern your conduct associated with the Customer Ratings and Reviews and/or Questions and Answers service offered by Bookswagon (the "CRR Service").


    By submitting any content to Bookswagon, you guarantee that:
    • You are the sole author and owner of the intellectual property rights in the content;
    • All "moral rights" that you may have in such content have been voluntarily waived by you;
    • All content that you post is accurate;
    • You are at least 13 years old;
    • Use of the content you supply does not violate these Terms of Use and will not cause injury to any person or entity.
    You further agree that you may not submit any content:
    • That is known by you to be false, inaccurate or misleading;
    • That infringes any third party's copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other proprietary rights or rights of publicity or privacy;
    • That violates any law, statute, ordinance or regulation (including, but not limited to, those governing, consumer protection, unfair competition, anti-discrimination or false advertising);
    • That is, or may reasonably be considered to be, defamatory, libelous, hateful, racially or religiously biased or offensive, unlawfully threatening or unlawfully harassing to any individual, partnership or corporation;
    • For which you were compensated or granted any consideration by any unapproved third party;
    • That includes any information that references other websites, addresses, email addresses, contact information or phone numbers;
    • That contains any computer viruses, worms or other potentially damaging computer programs or files.
    You agree to indemnify and hold Bookswagon (and its officers, directors, agents, subsidiaries, joint ventures, employees and third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.), harmless from all claims, demands, and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of a breach of your representations and warranties set forth above, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third party.


    For any content that you submit, you grant Bookswagon a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, transferable right and license to use, copy, modify, delete in its entirety, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from and/or sell, transfer, and/or distribute such content and/or incorporate such content into any form, medium or technology throughout the world without compensation to you. Additionally,  Bookswagon may transfer or share any personal information that you submit with its third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc. in accordance with  Privacy Policy


    All content that you submit may be used at Bookswagon's sole discretion. Bookswagon reserves the right to change, condense, withhold publication, remove or delete any content on Bookswagon's website that Bookswagon deems, in its sole discretion, to violate the content guidelines or any other provision of these Terms of Use.  Bookswagon does not guarantee that you will have any recourse through Bookswagon to edit or delete any content you have submitted. Ratings and written comments are generally posted within two to four business days. However, Bookswagon reserves the right to remove or to refuse to post any submission to the extent authorized by law. You acknowledge that you, not Bookswagon, are responsible for the contents of your submission. None of the content that you submit shall be subject to any obligation of confidence on the part of Bookswagon, its agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners or third party service providers (including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.)and their respective directors, officers and employees.

    Accept


    Inspired by your browsing history


    Your review has been submitted!

    You've already reviewed this product!