Ready, set, go! Get to the finish line in a fun way while involving the whole family. With Pesach bearing down upon us, it’s all hands on deck in the effort to clean the house from top to bottom. It can get stressful if we aren’t careful to keep the temperature cool and comfortable. If…
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Why We Let Go and How to Move On
“Machul Lack,” you are forgiven! Why forgiveness benefits us more than it benefits them. As we beg Hashem for forgiveness for all that we have done over the past year, we seek as well to forgive those who have wronged us and to ask forgiveness from those we have wronged. The older we get, the…
I’m Keeping My Baby at Home While I work
This time around, I will work with my baby next to me. Can it really work? I type these words as my baby sits beside me on the couch, nestled into my side as she fiddles with my empty coffee mug. I know my moments are numbered; as soon as she tires of trying to…
Party or Pass? Do You Celebrate Your Birthday?
No matter how you acknowledge (or don’t acknowledge) your birthday, the day holds opportunity. How do you feel about birthdays? Are you one of those who eagerly count down to your next birthday as soon as the previous one has passed? Do you make elaborate parties for your kids’ birthdays and spend months trying to…
Finding Meaning in the Madness
Nine Life Lessons of Purim Purim is a Yom Tov like no other in the sheer craziness it brings. First, there are weeks preceding it with so many decisions to make. This is no where should we spend first days and last days, and what side dishes should I make with my Sukkos roast. There…
Uplifting Our Gifting, Eight Ways for Eight Days
With Chanukah about to begin, we are gearing up for a special week of menorah lighting and singing, latkes and donuts, parties, and possibly even presents. Chanukah gifts are heavily debated, and every family and every society feels differently about them. Some decry the fact that Chanukah has become all about the presents and we’ve…
3 Ways to Make Sure Your Child Feels Whole
The root of “Chanukah” is “Chinuch.” These three chinuch lessons are a must-know for the well-being of your children. In honor of Chanukah, let’s talk chinuch. There are many ways to explain the link between these two words, which share the same root, but let’s focus on one that is particularly relevant to parenting. On…
Should I Send My Toddler to Playgroup?
How do I decide when it will be right? (If you need to make decisions now for next year, this may help!) “Should I send my 18 month old out this year or not? I have a newborn at home and can’t decide. What’s best at this age, when they don’t have to be sent…
How to Raise Children Who Feel Happiness in Their Torah Life
As mothers, the way we interact with our children can mean everything in the way they view life as a Torah Jew. One of most moving pieces I’ve read about the unforgettable Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein zt”l was a young woman’s account of how he radically changed her perspective on living a Torah life. He did…
What Kind of Mask Do You Wear?
This Purim, let’s take a peak at ourselves beneath the facade. As Purim dawns, the young and young at heart will don their masks and transform their persona into the hero, villain or neutral character of their choice. And we of the more adult variety smile indulgently as they pretend to be someone they are…