I Didn't Know You Could Make Birthday Cake from Scratch: Parenting Blunders from Cradle to Empty Nest

by Dorothy Rosby

I Didn’t Know You Could Make Birthday Cake from Scratch is the book for every parent who ever stuck a candle in a peanut butter sandwich and called it birthday cake. Or ever tried to crowd source her child’s braces. Or ever told her child to shut up and be quiet so she could finish reading a parenting magazine. It’s the little book of big parenting blunders, from cradle to empty nest, that will make other moms and dads feel really good about themselves.

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2016

About the author

Dorothy Rosby is a syndicated humor columnist whose work appears in ten Western and Midwestern states. She's the author of four books of humor collections including her latest, ‘Tis the Season to Feel Inadequate: Holidays, Special Occasions and Other Times Our Celebrations Get Out of Hand.

Reviews

[Donna Cavanagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not like to read about super parents who do everything perfectly. So, this was my book! For most days in her life,Dorothy Rosby was an in-control columnist, wife and mother, but sometimes life just threw her a curve and well, peanut butter sandwiches turn into birthday cakes. Yes, it's not a how-to book on how to be the perfect parent, but her talent for writing about everyday life in such a comical and loving way makes this book well worth the read.

[Leslie Handler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorothy Rosby’s I Didn’t Know You Could Make Birthday Cake from Scratch is a true treasure. This collection of essays about her only son is full of humor and emotion. Rosby gives us background on her life as the ninth of ten children and how her son’s growing up as an only child compares to her own upbringing. Although some of my favorite essays came towards the end of the book including such topics as being the “finder in chief” of her her own home, and “nonsense and momsense” when her own son quotes her to her own detriment, the entire collection dishes up the sunny and brutally honest side of parenting. The fact that she writes the collection by topic instead of by age chronology adds to the charm of this lovely book. Great to read at home or in the car while waiting in the carpool line. Either way, this is one must read book.

[Bonnie Jean Feldkamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved her columns and now I love this book! Her quick wit and funny jabs make you truly LOL. I have two teenage daughters and a 7-month-old son. I love how she writes about Isaac and really hope her stories about her son aren't just big fish stories. (See what I did there?) Read the book and then you'll get the joke.
Her stories make me look forward to the fun ahead with my son, having confidently learned from Dorothy's funny mishaps.

[Renee Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolutely delightful romp through the trials and tribulations of dealing with a young child on a day to day basis. It evoked plenty my own memories and experiences with regard to raising my son and even about being a child myself. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing and when it's mixed with humor it's even better. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to laugh!

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of short essays about a mother who does her best in today's trying times of raising a child. It had me laughing and relating to her struggles throughout the book
. This is a must read!