The author of the wildly successful "Three-Martini Playdate" is back with more irreverent and useful advice about life with children. Wickedly funny essays offer helpful advice on harnessing the energy of toddlers-gone-wild: on vacation, out to dinner, or when grandmother stops by for a visit.

"In her latest guide to parenting under the influence (following The Three-Martini Playdate), Mellor delivers another clever, tongue-in-cheek self-help that scoots deliciously close to the edge of offensive while delivering laughs and lessons for the beleagured mom and dad. Typical suggestions are both smarmy and smart: 'You should be running the vacuum cleaner, turning the volume up on the radio, and having a dance party when your infants are napping, so that they won't startle awake when they hear a dog barking in the next county.' She also warns of 'ornate décor made exclusively for children,' and what exactly to expect from a babysitter: 'You will be lucky if the sitter is able to feed your child reheated pizza before putting him to bed with his clothes on.' Another sharp bit of advice: get those kids reading books as soon as possible; it'll pay dividends in countless waiting rooms, cars and airports. And addressing the topic of the day, Mellor enthuses, 'It's amazing how many ideal holiday destinations are...a ten-minute to a three-hour drive from home,' provided 'a little flexibility in one's definition of "ideal." ' Further tips are set aside for plane travel, theme parks, holidays ('Santa moves in mysterious ways'), mealtimes and, of course, hosting a cocktail party ('Actually for Grown-Ups!')." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Chill the glasses! The author of the wildly successful "Three-Martini Playdate" is back with more irreverent and useful advice about life with children. Wickedly funny essays offer helpful advice on harnessing the energy of toddlers-gone-wild: on vacation, out to dinner, even just when grandmother stops by for a visit. Parents will relearn the art of traveling, socializing, and eating out like adults . . . sometimes with well-behaved children in tow. In dozens of short, kicky chapters like Cocktail Parties: Actually for Grown-ups! and The Theme Park Vacation: A Last Resort, Christie Mellor gently reminds parents that family vacations can truly be fun.