Book: Parenting Unplugged: The Drama Mama Diaries

PANKAJ GIRI

Author: Lalitha Ramanathan

Publisher: Om Books International

Parenting Unplugged: The Drama Mama Diaries is primarily a collection of the author, Ms. Lalitha Ramanathan’s anecdotes on birthing and parenting her daughter along with her husband in Singapore. Infusing the book with her brand of humour, the book is a light-hearted chronicle of her challenges and learnings as she brings her daughter up.

I am not a parent yet, but I could relate to Ms. Ramanathan as she prepares for childbirth and faces the ensuing difficulties and experiences while shaping her daughter’s early life. I could resonate with her doubts, fears, and happy moments as she confronts parenting head-on, ably assisted by her amiable, supportive husband.

Using short subsections within each chapter works wonders as it significantly enhances readability, making you glide through the pages. I could connect with Ms. Ramanathan’s character and feel her emotions throughout. The book covers almost all aspects of modern parenting and expertly delves into the various burning issues in the world, like inclusivity, woke culture, climate change, sexual education, regulating screen time, etc.

I also liked the idea of employing humour to lighten the narrative and make it a fun read for parents. However, unfortunately, the humour didn’t work for me throughout the book. The jokes felt forced, bordering on PJ (poor joke) category, and they became tiresome after a while.

I think, for me, the best chapter of the book was A Tale of Troublesome Tonsils. It is exceptionally written, and I could feel the palpable tension and emotions of both the mother and daughter as they confronted the fear and agony of surgery. It almost brought a tear to my eye. And thankfully, Ms. Ramanathan chose not to add jokes here.

The writing is top-notch. Ms. Ramanathan possesses an extensive vocabulary and wields it confidently throughout the book. The book is well-edited, too, as I couldn’t find any grammatical or punctuation errors.

Overall, Parenting Unplugged is a well-written, unique book, which is, I’m sure, unlike other parenting manuals. It is honest, relatable, and enlightening, not only for parents but also for non-parents like me.