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."