I was recently asked the following question by a parent: “How do I handle a situation where a certain boy always is hanging around my son? My son really doesn’t mind hanging out with him, but feels that their friendship hurts his friendship with other kids who do not like this particular kid. He doesn’t want to hurt his feelings by

I have a child who sucks her thumb. She began at 4 months old and did it constantly, for three years straight, and it was wonderful because it kept her quiet, eliminated the need for toys or food, and she always put herself to bed. But the thing is with these habits, sometimes they come along with other, less adorable quirks, which

As we begin to think back to how much food we may have consumed during the holiday, we can also take a few minutes to think back as to how much quality time we spent with our children throughout the holiday season. The holidays allow parents the opportunity for focused attention with their child, something that is not prevalent or available

Imagine if there was a secret trick for you to save tons of money each week. And this trick also magically reduces your family’s stress levels, eliminates complex carpools, causes your children to be more creative and productive, and promotes healthy development. Would you sign up?

Judging by

A new study from Tel Aviv University, University of Haifa, and Sheba Medical Center shows that involuntary eye movements accurately reflect the presence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as the benefits of medical stimulants that are used to treat the disorder.

The National Institute of Mental Health says there is no one test

Few afternoons are as fun as the ones when my kids bring home the Scholastic Books Catalogue from school, its pages colorful and bright, boasting all the books they have yet to read, all the posters and prizes and spy kits they do not yet own, all of the things they also need to get for their siblings as early birthday gifts. And by “fun,” I mean, really

The first time I had a friend sleep over in high school (after years of not being allowed to have sleepover company), I remember being nervous that we would run out of things to say. For some reason, I thought you had to talk every possible moment of time together, a pause would be too awkward, and so I talked, straight, until we went to sleep. “You’re so

My back hurt from hunching over to secure the bike. It was my second evening, running back and forth along the road with my five-year-old daughter, and it was the most exercise I had gotten all summer. I wiped the sweat off my head with the back of my hand, and begged to take a break. “Run with me, mommy!” she pleaded, and, after a moment

One of the biggest challenges facing my clients–and quite frankly, most of us–is time management. Family time is often the area that suffers and needs the most attention and adjustment. Spending time with one’s family is essential. It is in these moments that we share ideas and feelings, note upcoming events and, most importantly, model

“Mommy! Mommy! Can you check if my frog is dead?” my daughter bursts through the front door, ignoring the fact that I am talking to a vis­itor, and has a look of sheer panic on her face. “It’s like this!” she says, and tips her head to the side at an odd angle, her tongue dangling out of her mouth. It doesn’t take a near-death-ex­perience of a

My kids are tense. They huddle on the floor, in a corner of the family room, trying to focus on a game of Monopoly, but there are loud booms every few minutes that shake the house and make the lights flicker. They look up at me, searching for the silent reassurance that everything is okay, that this is okay—that the violent thunderstorm will pass.

There is an

I once had a student who after spending a year studying in yeshi­va in Israel came back to visit. We discussed how his year had gone and he described that it was very successful, he felt really inspired. In par­ticular there was one sefer that really impact­ed him.

“Rabbi,” he said, “you know you should re­ally learn this with your students; it’s an