Brian Leaf - Misadventures of a Parenting Yogi: Cloth Diapers, Cosleeping, and My (Sometimes Successful) Quest for Conscious Parenting

The potent blend of dad and yogi and humorist that Brian Leaf so deftly mixes makes his book a must-read for parents of any generation. I say namaste to a dad who can keep it light and lead with humor and stillness.

Peggy OMara, founder of Mothering.com

I found myself smiling, laughing, occasionally disagreeing, and, most important, thinking about where I stand as a parent. Brian Leafs musings and misadventures come from the heart and encourage us to be on the parental dance floor while also consciously watching ourselves from the balcony.

Kim John Payne, author of Simplicity Parenting, Beyond Winning, and The Soul of Discipline

Fatherhood is not a spectator sport, and Brian Leaf isnt afraid to call the play-by-play on his own successes, near misses, and semi-disasters. Hes funny and poignant, and gets across a powerful message about tuning in to our children and ourselves without proclaiming one right way to be a dad.

Larry Cohen, author of Playful Parenting

If parenting has as many laughs as this book, sign me up! Fans of the first Misadventures will delight in this romp through the trials, tribulations, messes, and joys of alternative child rearing all captured with Leafs trademark mix of humor, honesty, and compassion.

Benjamin Lorr, author of Hell-Bent: Obsession, Pain, and the Search for Something Like Transcendence in Competitive Yoga

Pattabhi Jois said that family life was the Seventh Series of Ashtanga Yoga, the most challenging and almost impossible to perfect. If this warm, funny book a love letter both to yoga and to his kids is any indication, then Brian Leaf is a Seventh-Series Master.

Neal Pollack, author of Alternadad and Stretch

Brian Leaf writes about parenting and yoga with such humor that you almost forget how seriously important these topics are. His writing is a lighthearted reminder of how crucial humor, insight, and keeping things in perspective are to our childrens and our own well-being. Brian reminds us to take our role as parents seriously but also to go ahead and have fun with it.

Christy Turlington Burns, supermodel and founder of Every Mother Counts

Finally! A much-needed and elegant male perspective on parenting from a respected and respectful voice in the holistic community. Brian Leaf has struck the perfect balance between honesty, humor, passion, and compassion for all paths of parenting. What a wonderful addition to any parents library; this is a wonderful gift to any expecting, recent, or seasoned mom or dad interested in conscious parenting, being truly present for their family, and finding the beauty in every challenge of being a caregiver.

Mayim Bialik, PhD, actress on The Big Bang Theory and author of Beyond the Sling

Copyright 2014 by Brian Leaf

All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, or other without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

The material in this book is intended for education. It is not meant to take the place of diagnosis and treatment by a qualified medical practitioner or therapist. No expressed or implied guarantee of the effects of the use of the recommendations can be given or liability taken.

Text design by Tona Pearce Myers

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Leaf, Brian.

Misadventures of a parenting yogi : cloth diapers, cosleeping, and my (sometimes successful) quest for conscious parenting / Brian Leaf.

pages cm

ISBN 978-1-60868-267-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN 978-1-60868-268-3 (ebook) 1. Parenting. 2. Child rearing. 3. ParenthoodHumor. 4. Yogis. 5. Yoga. I. Title.

HQ755.8.L3746 2014

First printing, May 2014

ISBN 978-1-60868-267-6

Printed in Canada on 100% postconsumer-waste recycled paper

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Mom and Dad,
Swami Kripalu,
Noah and Benji,
and Gwen, of course

Parents live for the tiny vacations.
Like when you put your kids in the car and you close their door
that little walk around to your own door?
Its like a Carnival Cruise.

Louis C. K., Chewed Up

A ll opinions expressed in this work are mine and not those of my publisher (actually most are really my wife, Gwens, but I accept them). All the events depicted actually happened, though at times I have tweaked the timeline to simplify the narrative. And all characters are real. Though I have often changed the names. For example, of Jeremiah. You cant complain about paying $400 for a persons poop-streaked cloth diapers and use his real name.

I am a parent. I can prove it. Inside my coat pocket right now are one diaper (clean), one pair of childrens underwear (soiled), one unscratched lottery ticket, and countless teething biscuit and rice cake crumbs.

I am also a yogi. Ten years ago, this was easier to prove. My pockets were filled with half-used class cards, a bookstore receipt for Light on Yoga or The Ayurvedic Cookbook, and folded-up handouts of Rumi and Kabir quotes. Now, ten years later, theres less time for yoga classes, and Im reading parenting books instead of yoga books. But, still, my yoga is alive and well. My attempts at mindfulness and union are stronger than ever.

For example, this morning, after my family had breakfast at the Lone Wolf Caf.

Noah, age six, loves the waffles, and I love the Lox n Latkes Benedict. After breakfast we are to drive a few miles to the Amherst winter farmers market to shop and meet some friends. We finish breakfast and walk to the car, but Benji, age two, will not get into his car seat.

He is standing on the floor in the backseat and will not sit. To drive like this, with Benji not strapped in, is, of course, illegal and unsafe. So Gwen and I cant give in. We must get him buckled. Benji is crying and its too cold outside to keep the windows open, so the noise in the car is building. Soon, very likely, in a domino effect, Noah will succumb to the noise and begin wailing in a cacophonous duet.

I have just read nineteen parenting books; surely Ive got something up my sleeve.

I try Playful Parenting. Benji, if you dont sit in that seat, well, Im going to sing Yankee Doodle until you do. I make a doofy expression and start singing.

No giggles. Hes not buying it. He plants his feet onto the floor mat.

I try Simplicity Parenting. I relax my body and sit in my seat. Whats the rush? Were headed to the farmers market, for Petes sake. The kale can wait another ten minutes.

I relax.

But Benji does not. And he does not budge. Lets face it, as strategies go, waiting out a two-year-old is just bananas.