This book is brought to you from the editors of Babble. Babble is a website dedicated to all things parent related. I love the site, they have such an excellent variety of articles, you will find yourself on this site for a long time.

I got this book through the Amazon Vine program. If you are a member of the program, you probably know that you generally have to make your selections fast once the newsletter comes out, or you run the risk of losing out. Because of this I generally pick books based on their titles and covers.

When I read the title to this book I had to laugh. As a seasoned nanny, I cannot tell you how many times I have said "dirt is good for you". It's not uncommon to be walking home at dinner time, with two mud caked kids in tow. I picked this book on a whim, and I am sure glad that I did.

When I first get a book I like to randomly open up to a page and read a few lines. Usually this can give a great feel for the book. In this case, the line I happened to read made me choke on my own laughter. "I learned about sex the old fashioned way-on the school bus" hooked me on this book.

The stories are all very individual takes on parenting failures, successes, learning experiences, and funny stories. This is not a parenting advice book and thank goodness, like anyone needs another one of those.

The titles of the stories speak for themselves. In "Out of Sight: Why I Don't Use a Baby Monitor" we learn about a Mom that lets her baby cry sometimes, and shock of all shocks, the baby is perfectly fine and well adjusted. In "Mama's Boys: Am I Spoiling My Sons?" we learn about a Mom who actually warms her kids clothes in the dryer, to make putting them on more pleasant, until it bites her in the butt.

Some of the stories are downright controversial! This would be a great book to discuss in a parenting circle, or a book club with a lot of parents in it.

Overall an excellent read.