You have the power to make the experience a positive one. Summer is a time for relaxed routines and schedules and yet kids really need structure to calm the chaos. It is hard to strike the perfect balance but one thing that really makes a difference is how you start your day. Setting the tone…
Children & Teens
How to Make Your Bas Mitzvah Girl Feel Special on Her Special Day
Mazal Tov, she’s now a woman! There’s something special about planning a bas mitzvah. I haven’t yet had the zechus to make a bar mitzvah, but I’m deep in the throes of planning my second bas mitzvah. Bas Mitzvah parties are celebrated so differently from community to community. Where I live, there is no standard…
Bedwetting Does Not Mean a Child Can’t Go to Camp
When a reader asked for advice on how to help her child who struggles with bedwetting and will be going to camp, many of you were quick to offer advice. Sometimes it’s best to turn to those with experience. Lots of you either have a child who has dealt with this, or remembers dealing with…
Help Your Child Fit In At Camp
They don’t need all the things, but they do need some. A basic human societal need is a sense of belonging. We value and encourage being your own unique self, but being part of a society requires a certain level of “fitting in.” This is not about changing who you are, hiding yourself behind a…
How A Flexible Routine Can Cure Spring Fever
Your kids have spring fever, but there’s still time left in the school year. Here’s how a flexible routine can help. I’m one of those structured moms. I keep after-school and evening hours pretty organized during the school year. Kids come home, eat snack, homework and play, baths and showers, dinner, then bed. I find…
Do You Have a Gut Feeling About Your child’s ADHD?
What your child eats can have a huge impact on his ADHD–it’s worth a try! Chaim had a constant runny nose. Every time I picked him up for soccer practice, I had a tissue waiting. He was the cutest kid! Big brown eyes darting in every direction, asking a million questions a minute, never pausing…
Chol HaMoed and ADHD: Help!
For moms of ADHD kids, unstructured days need the right planning. While fretting over chametz is a huge topic for all women, some of us have an additional issue to fret over, no less stressful than a chametz cookie on our Pesach table. The Pesach vacation with endless unstructured pre-Pesach and Chol HaMoed days with…
How to Make School Work for Your ADHD Kid
Tips for parents and guidance for teachers on bringing out the best of an ADHD child in the classroom. “I have 26 kids in my class and YOUR child dominates all of my attention!” I know I’m not the only parent who has heard this humiliating sentence from their child’s teacher. There we sit in…
Four Myths About Getting Picky Kids to Eat (and What You Should Do Instead)
Do you have picky eaters? Kids that won’t touch veggies? Or perhaps, more simply, non-eaters? Sit back and don’t worry. This is how to deal with it. Myth #1: Mealtime is just going to be stressful and frustrating no matter what I do. Every night, dinner with your kids leaves you exhausted from the sheer…
Your ADHD Child Can Clean Her Room. Here’s How
“My daughter makes such a mess and NEVER cleans her room! Her ADHD is out of control! How do I help her?” said an exasperated client. “How long does it take before you finally can’t stand the mess anymore and you just clean the room yourself?” was my response. “Oh goodness, I yell at her…