The Tao of Poop: Keeping Your Sanity (and Your Soul) While Raising a Baby

by Vivian E. Glyck

Overview

There's a lot of romance about becoming a parent, but at some point the storybook scenarios of serene life with baby are interrupted by the darker side of the motherhood experience: the little "bundle of joy" cries inconsolably, wakes up four times a night, won't take a bottle—the fantasy of motherhood quickly collides with reality. Vivian Glyck shows us that in fact it's the difficult parts of parenting that are the most valuable. The many challenges call on us to grow and develop as people. "Parenting," Glyck writes, "is the ultimate spiritual practice."

The Tao of Poop presents ten valuable life lessons that arise amid all the challenges of parenting. Based on the author's own experience and drawing on the sentiments of many mothers she's corresponded with, each chapter explores a common parenting predicament and a lesson that can be drawn from it, as well as helpful tips and strategies she calls "sanity savers."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780834826779
Publisher:	Shambhala
Publication date:	02/12/2008
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	364 KB

About the Author

Vivian Elisabeth Glyck is the author of Twelve Lessons on Life I Learned from My Garden. She is also an accomplished entrepreneur and strategic marketing consultant. She lives in San Diego with her husband and son.

Read an Excerpt

As women and mothers, we perform in a three-ring circus every day. Precariously, we balance children, relationships, nourishment, work, keeping a home, and so much more. It's like walking a tightrope—there's the ever-present fear that something will fall off and shatter on the ground.

More often than not, what ends up in shards is our own inner peace. Our lives of plenty, of "more, more, more" often lead to an inner fragmentation, a breakdown of self and soul. How can we find the sense of contentment and fulfillment that we all long for? How can we remain balanced? One answer that is easily available to any of us is simplify. Make it your practice to do less.

Over a three-month period of time, my two-year-old son was invited to ten birthday parties. At the same time, our preschool was asking parents to sell chocolates to raise money for the school. Halloween, Chanukah, and Christmas came and went with all their frenetic activities. I would have been done in by all this if I hadn't already learned the supreme value of simplifying. When facing all the invitations, all the "must-haves" and "must-dos," I remember the sage advice: Doing nothing is something worth doing.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Expectations are the enemy of happiness 7

2. Other moms don't need help—and other lies we tell ourselves 25

3. We're not in control (we never have been and we never will be) 43

4. Don't forget to howl at the moon 53

5. Wipe spit-up, change diaper (embracing boredom) 69

6. You're right, I'm not good enough 79

7. Healing the mommy wars 89

8. Doing nothing is something worth doing 103

9. Children are quick to forgive—are you? 121

10. It's never too late to have a happy childhood 131

Conclusion 137

Acknowledgments 141

About the Author 143