PAGES : Words to the Weary--Parents

They are trite, insipid and--for the most part--maddeningly simplistic. But one reason all those little “meditations for� books do so well is that, buried among the cliches, they do contain shreds of wisdom designed to appeal to segments of society that are at wits’ ends.

Hence, from Fireside/Parkside, “Meditations for Parents Who Do Too Much.�

Leaving aside the title’s redundancy (breathes there a parent anywhere who does not do too much?), the book’s authors, Jonathon and Wendy Lazear, offer a year’s worth of support for stressed-out moms and dads.

Daily doses include Harry Truman’s unforgettable counsel: “I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.�

Or, from well-known parenting expert Bette Davis, “If you’ve never been hated by your child, you’ve never been a parent.�

Or, from the rear window of a VW bus on a Los Angeles freeway, this sign: “Parents Overboard.�