Stepping Off Your Teen’s Emotional Rollercoaster

A reader writes: I had 3 sons when my oldest daughter was born. When the boys became teens everyone told me, "Just wait till your daughter reaches that age." I was worried about mother/daughter issues,  clothing, boundary issues, surliness, rebellion. Now she is 12 and what I've gotten instead is … [Read more...]

A Vote of Confidence

When I mentioned that I needed to take the meat out the freezer on Monday to allow it to defrost in the refrigerator, my 5-year-old suggested that I put it outside the window like she had seen the neighbor do. I said it was safer to use the refrigerator. Then my 19-year-old spoke up. "Other people … [Read more...]

New Jewish Book for Pre-Teens: Review and Interview

An interview with the author appears below. Chaya Rosen is a young woman living in Israel. She recently published Backstage with CBC: The Chaverim Boys Choir Live (Targum Press), a book for religious preteens. Each chapter of Chaverim describes a member of the fictional choir, the boy's family … [Read more...]

Brother-in-law quoted in WSJ and a family party game

My brother-in-law wrote his report about our annual Chanukah party here. He has to be nice, because he knows I read his blog. (I even send him the occasional unsolicited suggestion.) It was my idea to blog about the dancing on the side of the road.Aaron was quoted today in the Wall Street Journal, … [Read more...]

Learning to Lie

I've been too preoccupied to blog, so I invite you to read this excellent article from New York Magazine called Learning to Lie, summarizing recent research on lying. I found useful information for parenting both small children and teens.Hat tip: Serandez … [Read more...]

Update on the jailed teenagers

A while back I asked, "Where are the parents?" Well, they've turned up, protesting the treatment their children received in jail.According to Arutz 7:The girls were held in jail for several weeks and were released after the courts caved in to public pressure. Soon after, the story of abuse and … [Read more...]

Where Are the Parents?

Seven teenage girls have been arrested for settling an illegal outpost, and held in jail for over two weeks. Yitzhak Kadman, the director of the National Council for the Child, has called for their release. The girls, most of whom are only 14 years old, broke the law but did not commit a serious … [Read more...]

A Creative Solution for Unruly Teenagers

In the excellent book On Writing Well by William Zinsser, the author suggests improving your writing by imitating other writers you admire. My most recent post on cooking is modeled on Frugal Journey, Raanana Ramblings inspired my post on Efi, and the following is the kind of story that Rafi would … [Read more...]

"No Market for Used Teenagers"

I was surfing mommy-blogs last week when I spotted Around the Island, by an American-Israeli mother of two. (You'll have to visit to understand the title.) When the blogger, Robin, commented on my blog I recognized her email--we'd had an exchange about formula advertising that very morning. I've … [Read more...]

Guest Post: Did the Tooth Fairy Come Yet?

Please welcome my 13yo daughter's first ever guest post. She took the pictures too.My little brother's tooth finally fell out today. I made him a box to put it in, which was supposed to be an envelope, except I forgot how to make them. I still remember some of my teeth that fell out. I was told, … [Read more...]