For every default parent carrying the whole mental load
Lou Beckett puts words to the invisible work of being the family’s default parent, from school admin and schedules to the constant decision-making. Funny, frank and reassuring, it offers solidarity and practical ways to rebalance the load.
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Lessons From A Default Parent
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For every default parent carrying the whole mental load
Lou Beckett puts words to the invisible work of being the family’s default parent, from school admin and schedules to the constant decision-making. Funny, frank and reassuring, it offers solidarity and practical ways to rebalance the load.
- Book Synopsis
-
What nobody tells you about parenthood, from one of the ‘silent partners’ behind the Parenting Hell podcast. School-run coordinator, party planner, clubsorganiser, laundry sorter… and maybe even a ‘real’ job on top! Sound exhaustingly familiar? From assumptions surrounding who is going to stay at home with the kids to the never-ending list of ‘school’ admin, being ‘the default parent’ rears its head in a plethora of ways.
This book is for all the defaults out there – bored out of their eyeballs or so overwhelmed they could scream expletives into the wind for a solid hour – to know their invisible labour is seen and valued. With heartfelt and hilarious advice, Lou Beckett provides much-needed comfort and community for the one who is depended on the most (and often feels appreciated the least), and maybe – just maybe – how we can begin to rebalance the parenting scales and muddle through a little better, together.
Ideal for readers who...
- feel like the default parent and want reassurance that the invisible labour is real and recognised
- are juggling school admin, logistics, and household management alongside work (paid or unpaid)
- need humour, solidarity and practical comfort rather than perfect-parent pressure
- want language and perspective to talk about fairness, roles and emotional load at home
- are fans of Parenting Hell and enjoy heartfelt, funny takes on the messy reality of family life
- About The Author
- Lou Beckett is a mother of two, ex-secondary school teacher, and wife to Rob Beckett. The (mostly) silent participant of the incredibly successful Parenting Hell podcast (spoken about, not to, except for the occasional 'right to reply' episodes), she can speak about the similarly 'silent' issues: default parenting, emotional labour, and managing the mental load of parenthood. Her popular blog post, A Very Long Whinge, prompted many 'me too' moments from parents.
- Product Details
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- ISBN
- 9780241762912
- Format
- Hardback
- Publisher
- DK RED, (12 February 2026)
- Number of Pages
- 240
- Weight
- 342 grams
- Language
- English
- Dimensions
- 224 x 145 x 25 mm
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