Parenting Dilemmas In a Second Marriage
Family Matters Q & A Question Hello, and thanks so much for the opportunity to ask. I have two questions. My husband (a second marriage for both of us), has an eight-year-old child, while I have a three-year-old child who is somewhat spoiled. It bothers my husband that everything around my child becomes an argument […]
Healing a Broken Father-Son Relationship
Family Matters: Q & A Question My son, let’s call him Eli, is the only boy among several girls. 13 years old. He’s a charming boy, likes to help, likes to laugh, and is very sensitive. He’s smart and talented. And he spends most of his days and nights doing nothing. This situation has created […]
Handling Frustration with Daughter’s Behavior
Family Matter Q & A Question First, many thanks in advance for listening and for your wise counsel. I am a mother of five. The eldest is 11, a very sensitive girl with a huge heart but (or therefore) very easily hurt. Recently, we have been receiving many complaints, some of them from children who […]
Loving Children Vs. Loving Spouses
Who do you love more? Your spouse or your children? I have asked this question to many couples when feeling slightly mischievous. The couple look at each other and wonder what to do next. It’s that “I’ll raise my hand if you do” moment. Ultimately, after the awkward moment has passed, most couples will confess that […]
No Excuses
The more our society requires us to present ourselves as being in order, in control or perfect, the less honest we become We have a saying in our house. One excuse is a reason; two reasons are an excuse. So: “I’m sorry that I couldn’t make it, my car broke down” means you could not […]
Will Caring for My Son with Autism Hurt My Other Kids?
FAMILY MATTERS: QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Question: I have a child with autism that requires much attention and care. He is young and so are the rest of my children. I am afraid that caring for him might hurt the others in the future. Is this fear vindicated? The other kids love him, and he’s an […]
Life after Miracle
As parents and as educators, the task at hand sometimes feels impossible. I once accompanied a group of secular students to a “Discovery” seminar. For those of you who are not familiar with the seminar program, it is an exciting and impressive display of hidden codes in the Torah. Based on the vilna Gaon’s claim […]
How do I Teach My Children to Take Responsibility for their Schoolwork?
Family Matters: Q & A Question: Hi, my question concerns my children’s responsibility for their schoolwork. When they come back from school, I encourage them to do their homework and prepare their schoolbags for tomorrow. However, they only do those things if I sit next to them and supervise them. I feel as though this […]
Little Tzaddik
Culture plays a large role in how we refer to our children It wasn’t until I came to Israel in my seminary year that I heard a small child referred to as a tzaddik. I had grown up in the UK, admittedly land of the understatement, yet we certainly knew what tzaddikim were. We had […]
