Baby, I’m the Boss of Me: My Journey to Ageless

Ruth Yunker writes of her journey of aging in her memoir, Baby, I’m the Boss of Me. Having had a fear of growing old since the age of nineteen, Yunker dictates how she now accepts her old age and the process it took to get there. Inserting her wisdom and advice throughout the novel, I found myself laughing aloud at some of Yunker’s tales. A particular humorous chapter I found was titled, “My Traffic Cops.” Describing her road rage, Ruth fully believes in cutting people off, abruptly blowing her horn, and sneering at those who drive Hummers. My jaw dropped when I read of her many, MANY ticket charges, and encounters with traffic cops. However, upon aging, Yunker’s need for speed has calmed down as she realizes no cop will be enthralled with a middle-aged woman speeding on the freeway. Another chapter I found especially humorous was titled, “Cooking for the Ones You Love.” In this chapter, Ruth teaches you how to effectively manipulate your husband into cooking for good, without him even realizing it. A mother, wife, and pet owner, Ruth, relatable as always, recalls that she has spent countless hours and immeasurable effort into feeding not only herself but her loved ones healthy, creative meals. In her older age, she decided she is done cooking and deserves to be cooked for, hence, teaching her husband to cook for himself without him realizing her motives. Her entire novel is similar in formatting. Yunker takes comical stories of her past and explains how growing older has not only matured her but changed her ways. An incredibly spunky character, Yunker’s banter kept me on my toes with her witty remarks and side comments.

My favorite part of this book was the passages about Yunker’s childhood. With her father’s job causing them to travel often, Ruth grew up in a variety of places including Massachusetts, California, and Belgium. Yunker described herself as being the permanent new kid, as she constantly was adapting to new homes, schools, cultures, and customs. No doubt, this moving in her childhood influenced her now fearless attitude and peppy spirit. As she puts it, she now has no fear of living in new places among strangers. She can harbor friendships wherever she goes.

Overall, I found this book a refreshing, lighter read, and I enjoyed the stories Yunker paints for her audience. I would recommend this book to anyone trying to tackle the fear of aging, especially mothers, as Ruth focuses much on motherhood and her struggle with young children.