Beating Brain Drain
For children, summer means outdoor sports, picnics, and of course, no school! Teachers and students work hard all year long – and everyone deserves a break from education over the summer. However, this two-month break can often have some pretty devastating consequences.
Academic & Social Skills Insights #31
Many of the characteristics you describe: repetitive physical behaviors (blinking or closing his eyes), social isolation, and violence against himself and others are symptomatic of autism.
Separation Anxiety: When Is It An Issue?
What is separation anxiety? Most people think that separation anxiety is something our six-month-old infants develop and our toddlers grow out of. Separation anxiety before a child is two years old is completely normal and helps children learn how to master their environment.
Book Smarts and Street Smarts
Shel Silverstein’s 1974 poem “Where The Sidewalk Ends” is intended to paint a magical picture of a world of peace and serenity far away from the “black and dark streets.” At the time, perhaps the end of the sidewalk was a place that was “measured and slow.” Today, however, for many parents, where the sidewalk ends can feel like a scary place.
Mental Vacations For The Stressed
With the constant pressures placed on us in our fast paced lives, sometimes we all feel like we need a vacation. Everyone needs a break now and then – to relax their bodies and their minds. Research has shown that too much stress can cause:
Bouncing Back: How To Gain Resilience
We do a lot of talking to ourselves without even realizing it – and some of the stories that we tell ourselves can either help us bounce back or force us deeper into the struggle.
The Light Of Failure
What do you do with that failure? How do you learn from it and attempt the seemingly impossible again?
‘A’ Is For Anxiety: Managing School-Related Sadness And Anxiety in Children
Many students adapt very well to school; they feel good about themselves and their school work. For others, however, school is threatening. Getting through an average school day for some children is fraught with anxiety-producing situations and painful moments.
BT Parents/FFB Kids (Part I)
Dear Rabbi Horowitz:
What is your advice for ba'alei teshuvah (BT) parents raising frum-from-birth (FFB) children in terms of ensuring that the children are well-integrated, healthy and normal frum Jews? It is sometimes easy for us, as BT parents, to be very strict because of insecurities from our own upbringing and lack of family minhagim. It would be helpful if you offered a few pointers, to be explored with rebbe'im and suited for our family needs.
Thank you.
The Connection Between Women And Guilt
What’s the connection between women and shame? Why does it seem like women have so much more guilt than men?
The Parenting Balancing Act
It is important to set high expectations, but they should be tied to effort and not results. Therefore, as a parent, you should always praise effort, and never praise results.
Join The Social Skills Challenge
Children who struggle with social skills are less likely to participate in class, less likely to ask important questions when they don’t understand something, and more likely to fall between the cracks.
Communication Disorders Or What Happened To ‘Just’ Talking?
Certainly today’s communication via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and the like, including the ubiquitous Whatsapp, has reduced the need to talk with people and communicate at length.
Growth Or Fixed?
Think about a really successful person. Do you think this person achieved his or her success with little or no effort?
Dead Beat Parents
Certainly most of us have heard the term "deadbeat-dad" used in relation to fathers who fail to be financially responsible for their children. There is also another type of "deadbeat- parent” (I prefer to use the word parent in an effort to avoid gender bias and with the understanding that this phenomenon can occur with mothers as well), and the phrase is used to depict parents who are emotionally unavailable or inattentive to their children's emotional needs after the breakdown of their marriage.
Academic And Social Skills Insights #18
Exercise may also boost feel-good endorphins, release muscle tension, help you sleep better, and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
How Our Pasts Shape Us
“If you don’t stand straight, you’ll never get a husband.”
The Signs Of A Healthy Ego
It’s hard to believe, but friendship truly begins by believing in yourself and having the ability to accept both constructive criticism and affection.
Don’t Let Your Anger Get The Best Of You!
Often we have negative voices that we listen to in our heads. Voices that tell us that we are a “loser,” that we will “never succeed,” or that we need to be better at something.
Boys And Reading: Q&A
I have compiled a few questions and answers to help everyone understand how we can get boys reading up to their potential.
More Than Tests
These forms of testing are great ways to know what students know, but they don’t always reflect the application of the skills they are learning every day.
Homeschooling On The Rise In Orthodox Community
For many children, going to school involves spending their mornings and afternoons traveling to their destination amid classmates and chatter on a large yellow bus. But for a growing number of children all around the world, the process of getting an education may involve no commuting at all.
Job Prep
Ask someone you trust to play the part of the interviewer. Then, spend time rehearsing questions and answers with that person.
On The Same Page (Part I)
When verbalized in connection with parenting, the idiomatic expression, on the same page, at times, is misunderstood. Some people believe the term implies total agreement where one of the spouses gives up his/her right to disagree on an opinion, decision or direction s/he wishes to follow. In truth, while "agreement" is definitely implied, the undercurrent is one of a supportive nature.
Late Blooming or Developmental Delays?
What if your child is not simply a late bloomer? What if he needs early intervention in order to help him attain language?
Academic & Social Skills Insights #39
When you see your daughter acting in a positive way, let her know.
Obesity Is Another Concern
Our Yeshivos and Bais Yaakovs face the growing rate of childhood obesity. "Overweight children are more likely than their normal-weight counterparts to grow into obese adults. Obesity can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, bone and joint problems, asthma, and several types of cancer," says Chaya Stern, RPA and nutritionist.
Temper Tantrums
Dear Rabbi Horowitz:
Our 10-year-old son, the oldest of our six children, has a very strong-willed personality and is very energetic. He has a very hard time sitting in school all day. (He attends school from 8:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m.) At home, he is frustrated with having to sit and do his homework.
He often has temper tantrums when asked to do his work. My husband says that he is lazy and self-centered. I agree, in part, but isn't this what all children are like? Don't we have to teach them how to act properly?
Thanks,
Rachel
Self-Esteem And Special Interests
Many important life skills are developed when a child has a special interest, and not all of them are directly related to the interest itself.