It’s that time of year again. Rosh Hashanah, the time we, as Jews, reassess our values and goals is right around the corner. This is the perfect time to create a mission statement for your family. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen Covey, is one of the most popular self-help books. In

It’s that time of year again.  Camp is l-o-n-g over and now is “Bayn HashMashos.”  The lack of structure is not an easy time for most families.  How much time can Daddy and Mommy take off from work?  Thankfully, it’s not open-ended.  School begins imminently.  And there’s much to be done. Each school has its

Polio, the highly infectious disease that attacks the nervous system and can lead to spinal and respiratory paralysis, and, in some cases death, is making a comeback? The question mark is deliberate. Polio was eradicated in this country. Years ago. Since 1979, no cases of polio caused by the wild poliovirus have originated in the

The second temple in Jerusalem was destroyed because of sinat chinam, baseless hatred of one another. It is during this time of year that we take extra care with one another and try to shower each other with chesed, kindness. By doing this, we are making an effort to move to the other end of the

So often, our parenting seems to happen in a blur. This seems to be even more true now, in the midst of the winter. We are tired, our kids are tired, and then we say the wrong thing and find ourselves embroiled in a power struggle, yelling or just totally exasperated with our kids. As

“For a righteous man can fall seven times and rise…” (Proverbs, 24:16) Teaching all kids to persevere and keep trying aids them in all areas of life. However, the ability to keep trying when we don’t initially succeed is a must for children who struggle in school. We all know stories of successful people who

“Blessed be G-d, Blessed be He; Blessed be the One who Gave the Torah to His people Israel, Blessed be He. Corresponding to four sons did the Torah speak; one [who is] wise, one [who is] evil, one who is innocent and one who doesn’t know to ask.”  (Passover Haggadah) The section of the Four Sons is

When my children were small and my parents would come visit, their suitcases was usually full of gifts. Embarrassingly, as soon as they walked in the door, my children would dutifully give a hug and kiss and then promptly ask, “Where’s my present?” even before my parents coats were off. I am not the only

The pandemic continues, far longer than we have imagined it. We are spending a lot of time with our families. A lot of togetherness can be hard. One mom wrote the following. I love my child but I feel like I have a hard time liking her. Her personality clashes with mine and I feel

Everyone is a little bit nervous about money these days and feeling the pinch. Budgets are being revamped and regular shopping habits are being curbed. If we are concerned, then it goes without saying that our kids are feeling it too. They might even ask us some uncomfortable questions: “Do we have enough money?” “Are