Dear Dr. Yael
Unfortunately people must envy your position in life and may not realize how much pressure they are putting on you due to their own issues. You must work on setting boundaries in your lives.
A Sure Thing – Maybe
You are concerned that even if you are blessed with a “yes,” she may not like you after getting to know you better, and awkwardness with descend on both of your families forever and ever.
Encouraging Friendships
Stay balanced. As painful as it is to watch your child feel isolated, you must maintain a calm countenance.
Dear Dr. Yael
Try to always make your husband feel that he is the most important person in your life. A strong marriage builds healthy, confident children.
This Is A Test!
Unless you neglected to mention it in your question, I will assume his is not a mind-reader, a clairvoyant, or have telepathic powers. He cannot see your thoughts.
Can’t Take A Compliment? What About Criticism?
We can be thrown off by the content of the feedback itself. If the feedback is off, impractical or false, we can feel frustrated and wronged.
Dear Dr. Yael
Perhaps you feel people only want things from you in a relationship. However, it is healthy to also take things from others. Do you give people a chance to give to you?
Over And Out
First dates are often fraught with nerves and there are those that are simply unable to put their best foot forward. This small window allows daters to barely scratch the surface of personality, temperament and shared interests.
Conflict Resolution And Non-Verbal Skills
In order for Leah to set people more at ease, she has to be more comfortable herself.
Dear Dr. Yael
I started at eighteen and that has not made a difference in my life. I went on shidduch dates, single events, traveled and still have not found my soul mate. There is only so much in one's control.
The Healing Hoax
Meeting the right person and a successful marriage will definitely infuse your life with happiness. Dating and marriage, however, are not the “cure-all” for all sadness.
Is Friendship A Learned Skill?
Many people learn how to make friends without any direct instruction; however, there are some children who do not automatically pick up on social cues and may need to be specifically taught.
Dear Dr. Yael
Sometimes the in-law relationship can reflect the relationship between the spouse and his own parents.
Break The Bank
Carefully and respectfully raise this issue again. Explain to him that while your salary might be higher than his, your earnings would be used for your collective family.
Is There A Language Of Friendship?
Many times, people might have the ability to make friends, but fail to maintain them because they lack the skills to translate the subtleties of language.
Dear Dr. Yael
Although you are trying to lighten the atmosphere, it sounds like the humor in these situations is sometimes damaging to your relationship with your children.
Captain Obvious
I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to mention that while I could never condone hurting someone’s feelings, the truth still matters.
Autism And PDD – NOS
Right now, physicians do not agree when exactly a child should be diagnosed with PDD-NOS, autism, or Aspergers syndrome. Because of this, it is possible for the same child to receive different diagnoses from different doctors even as he exhibits exactly the same symptoms.
Dear Dr. Yael
I was a young wife, with two young children and my husband became remarkably successful financially... While I tried to be a loving mother and wife, I often felt very alone in raising our children.
Eyes Wide Shut
Taking the time to reach out to those who know a potential date will offer insight into personality and character traits before you even meet them.
Aspergers And Autism
Don’t hesitate to look for help outside of your family – there are great resources out there – books, support groups, and other educational courses.
Dear Dr. Yael
I never thought that my going out to lunch alone with our daughter would trigger him. He told me that he felt left out. It reminded him of his childhood when he felt excluded by his parents and his friends.
Easy As Pie
You have been blessed. You met someone quickly and forged a strong connection with ease. There are however, some guidelines that you can remember to reassure yourself that you are making a healthy decision. It’s all about the C’s.