Dummy: The Comedy and Chaos of Real-Life Parenting by Matt Coyne

Dummy: The Comedy and Chaos of Real-Life Parenting is a book by Matt Coyne, known for his blog, Man vs Baby. It is presented as a parenting book with a comic approach rather than a traditional parenting guide.

Key details

• Author: Matt Coyne
• Associated with the blog Man vs Baby
• Described as a parenting book for “real people”
• Includes deliberately impractical advice for new parents
• Features humour drawn from the exhaustion and unpredictability of raising children

Synopsis

Matt Coyne’s book is positioned as an alternative to the typical parenting tome, offering intentionally impractical ideas for bewildered new mums and dads. It includes comic set pieces such as “Profanity Bingo” for labour and a categorisation of different nappy disasters.

Alongside the humour, it reflects on how becoming a parent can feel like a “beautiful insanity” that changes you. The overall tone is designed to keep readers laughing through the exhaustion, mystery and madness of bringing up their own children.