The Kids Are in Bed, Rachel Bertsche
The Kids Are in Bed, Rachel Bertsche
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The Kids Are in Bed
Finding Time for Yourself in the Chaos of Parenting

Author: Rachel Bertsche

Narrator: Allyson Ryan

Unabridged: 8 hr 38 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 01/07/2020


Synopsis

"All new moms should shove a copy of The Kids Are in Bed in the diaper bag between the asswipes and Aquaphor! A perfect guide on how-to not morph solely into someone’s mom and retain your badassery in a world of Disneyfication and baby sharks.”
—Jill Kargman, author of Sprinkle Glitter on My Grave and creator of Odd Mom Out 

Picture it—it's 8:30 p.m. You close the door to your child's room just as you hear your partner closing the dishwasher, and now it's time for an hour or two of glorious freedom. What do you do? Read the book you've been waiting to crack open all day? Chat on the phone with a friend, glass of wine in hand, or go out with pals and share a whole bottle? Or, like many modern parents, do you get caught up in chores, busywork, and social media black holes?

In an original survey conducted for this book, 71 percent of parents said their free time didn't feel free at all, because they were still thinking about all the things they should be doing for their kids, their jobs, and their households. Rachel Bertsche found herself in exactly that bind. After dozens of interviews with scientists and parenting experts, input from moms and dads across the country, and her own experiments with her personal time, Rachel figured out how to transform her patterns and reconnect to her pre-kids life. In The Kids Are in Bed, other parents can learn to do the same, and learn to truly enjoy the time after lights-out.

About The Author

Rachel Bertsche is the bestselling author of MWF Seeking BFF and Jennifer, Gwyneth, and Me. She is also a journalist and editor whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Parents, Marie Claire, More, Teen Vogue, Seventeen, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Fitness, Women’s Health, New York magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A former producer for Oprah.com and an editor at O: The Oprah Magazine, she lives in Chicago with her family.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Alicia on November 10, 2019

Don't bother. An entire book composed of the author first complaining about not having enough time for herself, then writing about how terrible modern parents have it, then chapter by chapter talking about her life in each subject (marriage, sex, friends, responsible things like exercise and doctor'......more

Goodreads review by Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) on December 03, 2022

3.5 stars As a mother who values "me time" I appreciated the messaging in this book. However it's clear that the author is quite privileged position that made me feel a little jealous because I don't have resources and family support. Still, there were some good reminders here.......more

Goodreads review by Samantha on January 22, 2020

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Kids Are In Bed: Finding Time For Yourself in the Chaos of Parenting is a self-help book that looks at how to make time for yourself after you've had kids. I'm rea......more

Goodreads review by Kate on August 13, 2020

If I never in my life encounter the term "pocket of indulgence" again, it will still be too soon. By the end of the book I was thoroughly sick of the phrase, but despite waning interest pushed through because I'm a completionist. I didn't really take anything new away from this, having already read......more

Goodreads review by Genevieve on November 17, 2019

The Kids Are in Bed was my first book by Rachel Bertsche. In a society where people (and especially parents) are feeling more burnt out than ever before, I love the idea of rethinking the time that we DO have. The Kids Are in Bed shared some proactive ideas for parents about not getting "stuck" in e......more


Quotes

“In the constant maelstrom that is raising young children, it’s hard to take time for yourself—and enjoy it. This entertaining, well-researched book can help.”
People

“As stress and its costs to individuals and society come under increasing scrutiny, experts are lining up to point the finger at a burgeoning problem: the stress brought on by today’s intense parenting styles … [The Kids Are in Bed] is a practical, well-thought-out argument for a different approach—one in which parental free time is a priority.”
The Chicago Tribune

“Bertsche, a journalist and mother of two, encourages fellow parents to find, or create, free time for themselves … the suggestions in [the] book are laudably specific, and heeding them might very well improve one’s own parental happiness gap.”
—Publishers Weekly

"Honest and funny, this feels like a much-needed conversation with a  good friend, which is always worth the time.” 
Booklist

“Fellow parents: We are doing enough, and Rachel Bertsche has the research and the chops to get us to embrace imperfection and take time to enjoy ourselves, our lives and our partners. The Kids Are in Bed is a welcome kick in the big-parent pants and a reminder that adults deserve fun and joy as much as (and maybe more than) those little ones we love.”
—KJ Dell’Antonia, author of How to Be a Happier Parent

“I wish I had The Kids Are in Bed when my Karglings were born! All new moms should shove a copy in the diaper bag between the asswipes and Aquafor! A perfect how-to not morph solely into someone’s mom and retain your badassery in a world of Disneyfication and baby sharks.”
—Jill Kargman, author of Sprinkle Glitter on My Grave and creator of Odd Mom Out

“Bertsche's call for parents to drop the guilt and take some time for yourself is spot-on—if you're perpetually available to your child but you're a desiccated husk, nobody wins.  Her message in this thoughtful, eye-opening, well-researched book is a gift to parents: that one of the very best things you can do to have happy, healthy kids is to—gasp!—take time for yourself.”
—Jancee Dunn, author of How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids

“An affirming gift to parents everywhere, The Kids Are in Bed is a scientifically-based permission to peek out of the cozy madness of parenting and make room in their lives for themselves.”
—Lucy Knisley, author of French Milk and Kid Gloves