Meriting A Reward For Helping Parents

Posted on: September 4th, 2013

Dear Dr Yael: I loved your answer to Confused Mom (“Should Children Voluntarily Help Their Parents,” August 23). It was a bit unrealistic of the writer to expect her children to do things voluntarily for her and her husband. Even my husband, a good and loving man, does not do anything unless I ask him to, several times. I have spoken to my friends, and this seems to be the norm. This woman is blessed with an amazing marriage, but her daughter is correct: al pi halacha a child gets more sechar if he or she is asked by a parent to do something and then fulfills the request.

The Secret Social Setback Of Learning Disabilities

Posted on: September 4th, 2013

Dena was the star of her nursery class. All the kids loved her and the teachers gushed to her mother, “Dena is so kind. She shares with everyone and is so inclusive. When we have circle time, she sits attentively and she is always ready with a detailed and fun answer.”

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities

Posted on: September 4th, 2013

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Combating Inappropriate Touching

Posted on: August 30th, 2013

Dear Dr. Yael: I am sending my oldest son to a Pre-1A this year and am very anxious about inappropriate touching. I do not know if I should speak to my son about this and, if I choose to, I do not know what I should say. I want to protect my son from any kind of inappropriate situation, but I also do not want to scare him. My goal is for my son to have a warm and loving relationship with his rebbe. How do I balance my wish to protect him with the desire to provide him with a successful school year? An Anxious Mother

Quiet As A Mouse, Yet Brave As A Lion?

Posted on: August 30th, 2013

In her book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, Susan Cain relays the story of Rosa Park and the Montgomery Bus Strike during the Civil Rights Movement.

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities

Posted on: August 30th, 2013

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How Fighting Harms Children

Posted on: August 30th, 2013

When parents come to talk to me about a troubled child or teenager, I often find it helpful to explore whether or not their marriage is causing their teenager to be at risk.

Should Children Voluntarily Help Their Parents?

Posted on: August 23rd, 2013

Baruch Hashem, my husband and I have a marriage in which we constantly anticipate each other's needs and usually try to help the other even before being asked. We, of course, did the same for our children.

Adults Who Were Children of Divorce: Meeting With Your Parents Today

Posted on: August 23rd, 2013

As adults who were children of divorce know, healing does not occur through time alone. In fact, my research found that only 46% said they had a positive relationship with their fathers as adults.

Saying “Yes” to “No:” The Positive Power of Negative Thinking

Posted on: August 23rd, 2013

In American culture, there is a large emphasis put on optimism. We are told that we need to think positively and that things will work out. For a lot of people, this type of outlook is beneficial and healthy. However, optimism is not a one-size-fits-all affair. Positive thinking works for some, but not for all. For people who have anxiety, optimism can be very difficult and unproductive. Instead, anxious people can harness that anxiety and use it in order to ensure that they do succeed.

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities

Posted on: August 23rd, 2013

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Bullying And Social Invitations: A Parent’s Dilemma

Posted on: August 16th, 2013

Dear Dr. Yael: Like the seven-year-old daughter of A Heartbroken Mother, last week’s letter writer, my somewhat socially awkward nine-year-old son is also being bullied.

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The Bully Epidemic

Posted on: August 16th, 2013

When interviewed about the subject, Carrie Goldman, the author of the book, Bullied: What Every Parent, Teacher and Kid Needs to Know About Ending the Cycle of Fear, explains that bullying comes about pretty equally between the genders, but it happens in different ways.

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities

Posted on: August 16th, 2013

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From The Greatest Heights (Part VIII)

Posted on: August 16th, 2013

On our first day in the antepartum unit, one of the nurses mentioned how critical every moment of pregnancy really was. “One minute in is worth two minutes out (in an incubator).” We weren’t really expecting a premature birth, but her comment put a fine point on the importance of the care my wife was receiving.

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Seeing The World Through Different Eyes

Posted on: August 9th, 2013

Karen’s fourth child, a daughter named Abbie, was bright and highly verbal. Abbie learned phonics and loved drawing. But, even at eight or nine years old, Abbie could barely make it through an easy reader. Her mother was at a loss. She had taken her to three different doctors to check her vision.

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities

Posted on: August 9th, 2013

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Mrs. Mike’s Lasting Lesson

Posted on: August 9th, 2013

Our daughter would tell us glowing stories about how Mrs. Mike made the pesukim come alive, tricks she taught them to memorize and recall the mitzvot, how each mitzvah perfectly fit women…

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Bullying Must End!

Posted on: August 9th, 2013

There is a huge difference between standing up for oneself and retaliating against others.

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Life Lessons From Raising An Autistic Child (Part IV)

Posted on: August 2nd, 2013

The uncle’s story: When Menachem was a baby, he seemed like any other normally developing kid. Videos from that time show him laughing and reacting to other people; you’d never guess how he would turn out. I don’t know, maybe a professional might have seen the signs, but I certainly didn’t.

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