The New York Jewish Week wrote about the phenomenon known as "Half-Shabbos," in which teens who are otherwise Sabbath observant use their cell phones to text their friends. When I asked my kids if this is common in Israel, they said that they had first heard about it from me! They haven't seen it here so far. <br clear="all" /> According to the article: Texting on Shabbat —œis probably more prominent [in the Modern Orthodox community], but it is by no means exclusively there,— Rabbi Goldmintz wrote. —œSomeone once suggested that it all got started when observant kids signed on after Shabbat and realized how much their non-observant friends had been communicating … [Read more...]
Kosher Cookbook Giveaway
October 20, 2010 by 69 Comments
On Sunday, October 24 I’ll be reviewing Susie Fishbein’s new book, Kosher by Design: Teens and and 20-Somethings and giving away a free copy to one lucky reader. Instructions for entering giveaway (below). Update: The review can be found here, and the scone recipe here. Susie Fishbein’s cookbooks, published by Artscroll, are famous for their stunning food presentation, beautiful photography, and creative party ideas. In her new book, she chooses simple recipes to appeal to teens and twenty-somethings—whether they are doing the cooking or just eating. You’ll be glad to know that the recipes are lighter and healthier than in her earlier books. I’ll be posting a full review on … [Read more...]
Stepping Off Your Teen’s Emotional Rollercoaster
April 30, 2009 by 18 Comments
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 sudden, unexplained, intense sadness, usually in the evening hours. It's not every day, and I haven't found a pattern. I've done blood tests and thank G-d all is fine. In general she is a happy, friendly, busy, responsible, independent kid. Recently there have been social issues, which I assume is normal at this age, but nothing extreme. A lot of her friends have become interested in … [Read more...]
Frugal Strategies for Young Families that Pay Off as Your Children Grow
April 20, 2009 by 55 Comments
As my family grew from a small to a large one with six children, I developed efficient ways to save money. Items that are small expenses with two small children become big ones as the family grows. Below I present ten money-stretching strategies for young couples with a growing family. It takes discipline to stick to these guidelines, but the effort pays off over time. The benefits are not just financial. 1. Teach kids that it's okay to be different. This gift to your children pays off again and again. Empathize with them when you won't buy things their friends have, but stick to your principles. Train them to listen to their own instincts, and not the crowd's pronouncements. Most … [Read more...]
How Do Parents of Large Families Manage? Meet Tal and Talia
November 3, 2008 by 28 Comments
On Orthonomics a guest post about Orthodox homeschooling generated the following comment by "l": One problem that parents encounter is that in families where there are both older and very young children, the toddlers and infants often require many hours a day of the parents' care and leave little time left over to work with the older ones. I think the comment reflects misconceptions both about homeschooling and large families. When people learn that I have six children they often say, "Wow, I could never do that." I respond that I didn't have them all at once. Below is a somewhat idealized picture of life as parents of a large number of children: Let's imagine a couple whose first … [Read more...]
Where Are the Parents?
January 20, 2008 by 39 Comments
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 crime. The girls refuse to identify themselves or sign any statements because they don't recognize the authority of the court. Judges have upheld the prosecutor's decision to keep the girls in jail until they cooperate with the authorities. The fact that they are still being held is an outrage and an embarrassment for the country. The girls should be released. On the other side we have the … [Read more...]
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