Diary of a Hapless Househusband

An hilarious and very different take on parenthood, for all who loved The Playground Mafia and I Don't Know How She Does It.

A very very funny and often touching account of one man's struggle to try and run Planet Home. This book should be compulsory reading for every bloke who wonders what his wife is making all that fuss about -- and for every woman who has wanted to kill that bloke.

This book actually made me laugh out loud and I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it! A funny and different take on parenthood, well paced, with believable characters and perceptive insight into the chaos that often surrounds young children.

It is a hilarious read and so true to life, it should be compulsory reading for all husbands.

Sam Holden is the pen name of an author and journalist. He lives in Wiltshire with his wife and two children. This book is partially based on his experience of (briefly) swapping roles with his wife.

When father-of-two Sam loses his job, he reluctantly agrees to stay at home while his wife returns to work. Secretly thinking this whole parenthood thing a breeze of leisurely jaunts to the park, reading the paper while the children play quietly and occasionally attending a civilised play date or two, Sam quickly realises just what exactly it means to be a stay-at-home parent. 
 
Inevitably, domestic mayhem ensues. Just trying to get dressed in the morning and out of the house without going to A&amp;E is a feat, as is managing the children's complicated play-date schedule while fending off the unwelcome advances of Jodhpur Mum at the playground. And Sam's foolproof 72-step Childcare Programme doesn't seem remotely up to the task. 
 
Desperate to get his life back on track, Sam seizes upon a variety of mad schemes, but just as things look like they're beginning to fall into place, he makes a very surprising discovery ...

Sam Holden

We love this book! Sam's diary of his life being a house husband is so chaotic, insightful and laugh out loud funny, we wanted to read it again as soon as we had finished it. - 5 stars

In theory, life for Sam as a stay-at-home dad is idyllic and stress-free. Months of honing his childcare programme have enabled him to run a ship-shape home with productive days spent creating finger-print masterpieces, cooking up organic cuisine and polishing the family silver. 
 
In practice, the Holden Childcare Programme has fallen out of favour. Sam's days are filled with tantrums, food fights and undisclosed amounts of telly watching, and he can't help but feel the aching tedium and financial pinch. Even the flattering advances of Jodhpur Mum aren't enough to lift his spirits. But things are about to change dramatically. 
 
While Sam's status as a stay-at-home dad goes national via his own hit TV show, WonderHubby, life on the home front quickly spirals out of control ...

Sam Holden

Praise for Growing Pains of a Hapless Househusband

We love this book! Sam's diary of his life being a house husband is so chaotic, insightful and laugh out loud funny, we wanted to read it again as soon as we had finished it. - 5 stars

Books by Sam Holden

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