“Would it be weird if I said I want Brian Leaf to be my father? He's just that damn funny, thoughtful, and insightful. I guess I'll be satisfied with rereading his book instead.”
— A.J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically and The Know It All

“For anyone who is a parent of a toddler, you will get some major deep belly laughs.”
— Alicia Silverstone, actress and author of The Kind Diet

“Brian Leaf writes about parenting and yoga with such humor.”
— Christy Turlington Burns, supermodel and founder of Every Mother Counts

“Some holistic parenting books make me roll my eyes until I get a headache. Not this one. You won't find judgment or condescension here, just humor and humility. Warm, approachable, and funny, Brian Leaf will have you nodding, laughing, and even learning when you least expect it.”
— Amber Dusick, author of Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures

“Brian Leaf plunges into the mysteries, madness, and anxieties of the parenting process and emerges with a perspective that is sure to leave you laughing and learning.”
— Adele Faber, coauthor of How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

“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 parent's library.”
— Mayim Bialik, PhD, actress on The Big Bang Theory and author of Beyond the Sling

“Brian Leaf speaks about conscious parenting with great humor, insight, and depth. A must-read for all parents trying to answer the call to conscious parenting.”
— Dr. Shefali Tsabary, clinical psychologist and author of The Conscious Parent

“A warm, funny memoir about the surprising and enlightening ups and downs of parenthood....Very connected to his Jewish roots and his yoga practice, Leaf is a mindful parent, heeding the Dalai Lama’s advice that the sure key to parenting ‘is patience, compassion, forgiveness, and even faith, in my kids...but also in myself.’ In this insightful book, he reminds readers to remain open to those transcendent moments of love, connection, and happiness that make parenthood a pure joy.”
— Publishers Weekly

“I found myself smiling, laughing, occasionally disagreeing, but most importantly thinking about where I stand as a parent. Brian’s musing and misadventures come from the heart and encourage us to be both 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 isn’t afraid to call the play-by-play on his own successes, near-misses, and semi-disasters. He’s funny, 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

“The potent blend of dad and yogi and humorist that Brain 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 O'Mara, founder of Mothering.com

“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 Leaf’s 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

“K. Patthabi 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 to both yoga and his kids — is any indication, then Brian Leaf is a Seventh-Series Master.”
— Neal Pollack, author of Alternadad and Stretch

Memoirist and yoga teacher Brian Leaf is the author of Misadventures of a Garden State Yogi. Owner of the New Leaf Learning Center in Northampton, Massachusetts, Brian has studied, practiced, and taught yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda for twenty-five years.

Author's Note
Preface: Lox 'n Latkes

Chapter 1. Before Babies
Chapter 2. Not Not Trying
Chapter 3. A Squirrel in Our Bed
Chapter 4. Birthing Class
Chapter 5. Six Days of Labor
Chapter 6: Thanksgiving
Chapter 7. The Phlebotomist
Chapter 8. Sweet Baby Lemongelo
Chapter 9. The Myth of Smegma
Chapter 10. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
Chapter 11. Attachment Parenting
Chapter 12. Say Goodbye to Your Luscious Down Comforter
Chapter 13. Get Help!
Chapter 14. What Is This, 1850?
Chapter 15. My Osteopathic Shaman
Chapter 16. The Vulcan Baby Grip
Chapter 17. The Perfect Parent
Chapter 18. Punished by Rewards
Chapter 19. The Christmas Dreidel
Chapter 20. Kid’s Yoga
Chapter 21. Hypnobirthing
Chapter 22. Never Argue with a Woman in Labor
Chapter 23. Grease Lightening
Chapter 24. Kid’s Korner
Chapter 25. Operation Meditation
Chapter 26. Elimination Communication
Chapter 27. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Chapter 28. Get Me A Beer
Chapter 29. It’s Not Personal
Chapter 30. Playful Parenting
Chapter 31. Kohn Meet Cohen
Chapter 32. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk
Chapter 33. Poop
Chapter 34. Divorce
Chapter 35. Germophobia
Chapter 36. Simplicity Parenting
Chapter 37. Sex
Chapter 38. Meditation
Chapter 39. Ayurveda
Chapter 40. Never Skip Lunch
Chapter 41. Choosing a School
Chapter 42. Free-Range Parenting
Chapter 43. CTFD
Epilogue: Be Loved

Acknowledgments
Ayurvedic Constitutional Survey and Recommendations
Reading Group Guide
About the Author