I’ve been writing the last few weeks about what it means to be a spiritual role model for one’s children. Here are some responses from readers who recall the positive and negative exemplars in their own lives. My parents and grandmothers were my primary influence. Every Friday coming home for lunch the aroma of Shabbat

I’ve received a number of responses from people who have been reading this column and I am thankful to all of you who have said how much they are appreciated. I am particularly thankful for the personal stories and recollections that people have shared about their own religious development or that of their children. At

We have been speaking about what it means to be a spiritual role model for one’s child. How exactly does spiritual modeling work? Social psychologists refer to it as “observational learning.” You watch your role models do stuff and then you end up doing it too. If only it were so easy! Instead, it has

Although the school year is winding down, parents are still always on the lookout for tips to make daily routines with children easier. Here are some simple ways to do that: Mornings: Take time for yourself: Try to wake up early and get yourself organized before the morning rush. Drink your coffee, daven or just

Here’s a truism. It’s so darn hard at times to keep your cool as a parent.  There’s no surprise here.  Our families are not small in numbers of members.  Thank G-d.  Lots of interesting personalities under one roof.  The different stages of development under that same roof.  The competing needs.  The noise.  The bickering.  Honestly,

My teacher (and exemplar) Nechama Leibowitz z”l was fond of telling the story of a cab driver who once asked her if she knew what the difference was between a melamed (one who teaches) and a moreh (a teacher). Nechama remarked that she thought they were essentially the same. The cab driver then said to

I think about that role a lot I have an inborn need to connect to people I want very badly to be a successful mother to our beautiful children raising them to be passionate, contributing, giving and happy people. After the death of my first child all I wanted was life I wanted children so

A number of years ago we polled a group of modern Orthodox day school parents about the kinds of parent education evenings they would be interested in attending on topics having to do with raising children. The response was pretty good as these kinds of surveys go. Parents were given choices of (1) spirituality/religious growth

Who were your role models growing up? Stop and think for a moment about what individual or individuals had the greatest impact on you. Was it your parents? A grandparent? A teacher? How did each contribute to who you have become? Was it something they told you that influenced you so much or was it