"Comforting a colicky baby sounds like a cakewalk in comparison to the tales in these essays. As Anna Quindlen puts it: ""Those of you waiting for your babies to sleep through the night will be amazed at how quickly they come to sleep through the afternoon after a night out."" Typical parental woes regarding teenage rebellion—mood swings, drugs, drinking, sex, and Marilyn Manson concerts--are all included. Editors Conlon and Hudson chose to include several humorous pieces, most notably the one from Dave Barry, who chronicles his son's madcap solo trip to Europe. Despite Barry's hounding and reminders, the teen promptly lost his passport—during the flight to Frankfurt. But the humor serves to temper the most pervasive emotion in the collection—reluctance—as moms and dads bittersweetly watch, mostly helplessly, as their kids struggle to grow up and find their identities and independence. Any parent who's tired of being called ""inadequate, clueless, or simply annoying"" will find comfort hearing about the travails of these moms and dads. "