For decades, Susan Lamm and Sterna Lerman of Torah u’Mesorah’s Counterforce have been guiding parents. Now, they’ve launched a new helpline to give you the tools you need to deal with any issue, big or small. Lots of us attend parenting classes. But what do you do when you need more personal attention, and a…
parenting
Why Punishment and Rewards Don’t Really Work With Our Kids
Punishments, rewards, threats and bribes may not be the best solution. Why do we always resort to that and what are our alternatives? Generation after generation, humanity has taught that good behavior should be rewarded (do good and earn a sticker or a prize!) while bad behavior will be punished (time outs and detention). We…
The Problem with Melatonin (And How to Fix It Without Melatonin!)
If a mom can’t get her kids to fall asleep, what else is she supposed to do? If we were sitting in a physical room right now, and I’d asked you how many of you have heard of melatonin, I’m guessing all hands would go up. And if I’d asked how many of you have…
How to Be Firm with a Child without Overpowering Them
You don’t need to fight or overpower a child when they’re not listening. This is what to do instead. In our last discussion in this post we wrote that being firm can be good for a child. We also wrote that fighting with a child is not chinuch. We explained the difference. Fighting means when…
5 Ways to Raise Organized Kids
Even if your kids aren’t organized now, it’s not too late to teach them these important skills. Raising kids who respect organization and time management will not only benefit your own home but will give them lessons that they can apply to every aspect of their life. I realize, though, it’s hard to implement organization…
How Can I Be Firm without Fighting with My Child?
Firm , Fight , Afraid . What do these three words have in common? Parents are often not firm with their children when firmness would be good for the children. The reason they are not firm when they should be firm is that they are afraid to fight with the child. They know that fighting…
3 Unconventional Steps to Actually Solving Bedtime Battles
Bedtime was always a struggle, and not getting kids to bed is harder than it ever was. One fine day, BCP and I got a bedtime SOS from a mother (well, to be fair — she contacted them and they forwarded her to me): I have 5 kids 10 and under (10, 8, 6, 4…
Moms: How Would You React to These Four Scenarios?
In every situation, there’s a positive way to react. These are four ways you can effect positive chinuch lessons in your home despite the trying circumstances. As mothers, we are currently finding ourselves in a very unique and challenging time. Let me give you several chinuch scenarios, as we try to give ourselves a reality…
Some Moms’ Tips to Help Cope Just a Little Better
Let’s get real. We’re not coping. We’re surviving. But sometimes, we all come up with strategies and tips to make it all just a little easier. Now that we’ve been staying home and staying safely, we’ve asked some moms what practical tips they’ve implemented that are helping them on a daily basis. Share your tips…
How to Childproof a Tablet
It’s a Catch-22. Our children need a tablet for their classes. But we don’t want them exposed to the internet or wasting time playing games. What should we do? A few weeks ago, we posted about this inexpensive tablet which has proven to be a great affordable solution for so many households where there are…