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Baked salmon garnished with asparagus and tomatoes with herbs

19 Shabbat Recipes for Families with All the Allergies

11 Delicious Ways to Use All the Food Your Kids Waste

RECIPE: Challah Pizza Roll-Ups

Home made Chicken Rice Soup - from above Horizontal

Instant Pot Chicken Soup Recipe That's Just Like Bubbe's

8 Jewish Comfort Food Recipes You Need for the Hard Times

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Erin Konheim Mandras is a mom of two boys,married to a wonderful husband,Jon,and resides in Pikesville,MD.She is currently a blogger atKick the Scale, focusing on eating disorders,body image,exercise,and nutrition.Formerly from Detroit,MI,she was a college soccer player at Michigan State University,and then became a college soccer coach at Towson University and Loyola University Maryland.She also coaches youth girls locally.

Yom Kippur

Why I Will Be Going to a Football Game on Yom Kippur

Erin Konheim Mandras

When asked how observant I was growing up,my answer was always,"I am Conservative." I came from a home that valued religion by placing a major emphasis on the importance of being a Jew—and my… parents maintained traditions,holidays,music,foods,and prayers.In the community I was raised,there was a large Jewish population.It seemed I shared similar customs,rituals,and life events with my classmates and friends from school.But at the same time,I competed at a high level of soccer,where the teams I played…>> Read More

allergies

My Heart Breaks When It Comes to My Son & His Food Allergies

Erin Konheim Mandras

Horizontal image of a stack of warm oatmeal raisin cookies sitting on a white plate on a kitchen counter.A glass of cold milk sits in the background.Focus in on the center of the 2 cookies in the foreground.

"What's your favorite kind of ice cream,Austin?" the pool instructor asked yesterday in hopes to calm my son down and comfort him during his lesson.Austin was hysterically crying,scared to death… 的一些东西。Whether it was the water,separating from me,或者刚刚开始新的东西,it didn't really matter.I chimed in,and said,"Austin,tell him your favorite flavor icee." He smiled,and answered,"Strawberry." My heart broke once again.I knew it probably didn't faze my 3-year-old son that he can't eat ice…>> Read More

Potty Training

What a Stranger Taught Me About Potty Training My Toddler

Erin Konheim Mandras

At the airport,he needed to go on every stupid moving walkway,to stand and wait as the belt inched him along.I begged him to walk and explained if he walked,it would get us to the gate quicker.… But,no,he stubbornly stood there,flat-footed,just staring at me like I was the crazy one.Then,he came sprinting off when he realized I had walked ahead,and got scared.He caught my shoe,tripped,and laid out flat on the airport floor.Knowing he was okay,I stood there trying to explain…>> Read More

motherhood

Why I'm So Grateful Adele Was Honest About Motherhood During Grammys Speech

Erin Konheim Mandras

I was once organized.I used to go shopping.I used to wander through different stores.I used to take my time at the gym,and even take classes when I wanted.I used to speak in complete… sentences.I used to… hang on… I lost my train of thought.I once showered in peace.I once made decisions solely based on me....until I became a mom.Before I was a mom,I was responsible for just myself.I only worried about making and getting to MY doctor appointments.I planned out,…>> Read More

postpartum

Shame Over My Postpartum Body Made Me Overlook A Real Medical Issue

Erin Konheim Mandras

There is nothing more difficult about having a baby than still appearing very pregnant for several weeks after giving birth.It's one thing to grow in size while being pregnant,while knowing there… is a baby developing inside you.It's a whole other thing to be alone in your body once again,but still look as if there's a baby in there.I've got three kids,and I can say that each time,as soon as the baby was out,I prayed,hoped,and fantasized that when I…>> Read More

hair

Why My Hair Going Grey at 32 Scares Me

Erin Konheim Mandras

Woman looking at the first grey hair on her scalp

"Stop plucking them!" says anyone I tell about my latest obsession.Easier said than done.It all started when I was about 26.Here and there,a friend would say,"Oohh,I see a grey hair.让我… get it." I would anxiously wait for her to pull it out and verify: yes,there was a strand of grey in my dark brown natural head of hair.What had me greying at this age?We always hear it's related to stress,so each piece represented a tricky part of my life: my job…>> Read More

postpartum depression

I Just Gave Birth to My Third Child & I'm Honestly a Mess

Erin Konheim Mandras

Sad teenage girl looking out the window on a cold autumn day

This article is part of the Here.Now. essay series, which seeks to de-stigmatize mental health treatment,and improve accessibility to treatment and ios下载beplaysupport for teens and parents in metropolitan… New York. Tears burst out of my eyes and streamed down my face.Large,round drops fell from my cheeks to my shirt.All it took was for someone to ask,"How's it going?" And I couldn't stop.For an entire two weeks.What could I possibly have been crying over?I had just delivered…>> Read More

Preschool

Why I Finally Caved And Got a Minivan

Erin Konheim Mandras

Mini van with people traveling on vacation

Since finding out we are expecting a third child,and knowing we will have three kids under the age of 5,my husband and I have had many conversations about what vehicle would be most suitable for… our family.I have always been an SUV kind of girl.Between Jeep Cherokees,GMC开拓者,Nissan Muranos,and,most recently,a Nissan Pathfinder,I like the sporty,"cooler" vehicle look.Even beginning at 16 years old when I first got my driver's license,I aspired to look "cool," and begged for a Jeep Cherokee…>> Read More

babysitting

Why I Feel Too Guilty to Hire a Babysitter

Erin Konheim Mandras

Young woman sitting on the bed holding baby and remote controler

My husband had just purchased a dental practice,and we were in the process of moving and searching for the perfect house for our new family.I was 34 weeks pregnant when an amazing job opportunity… was offered to me.In my husband's eyes,the financial help was a necessity during a time of loans,a new mortgage,and a new baby.In my eyes,I was too invested in delivering that baby and committing my entire being to this new child.Doing both felt immensely overwhelming,and completely impossible.So,…>> Read More

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I'm Trying to Love My Pregnant Body,But These Comments Don't Help

Erin Konheim Mandras

"Are you sure you aren't having twins?""You must be due any day now.""You are definitely bigger this 官网下载beplay体育ios版pregnancy than with your first two."And,the best one of them all…"Do you know… what you're having?Because I know you're having a girl." I answered,"Oh,really?Why do you say that?" Waiting for her response,I was quietly expecting her to say,or at least lie to me,that I am glowing like it's a girl.But,she replied,"Because she has taken away all of your…>> Read More

camp

This Is Why I'm Sending My Anxious 4-Year-Old to Summer Camp

Erin Konheim Mandras

I grew up in a community where summer overnight camp was just standard,even beginning at the wee ages of 7.I watched as our local camp store would be jam-packed with families holding lists and… preparing for and buying the necessary camp items to survive the summer away.I saw as my cousins counted down not only to the day the bus picked them up,but to the years they would be old enough to be eligible to go for four weeks,then six weeks,then the entire summer totaling…>> Read More

Travel

I Felt Guilty When My Husband & I Went Away Together.This Is Why

Erin Konheim Mandras

My husband and I took a trip away this past weekend,just the two of us,without the kids.This,in itself,is a rarity,and something we needed,enjoyed,and did not take for granted.I love my… children,but even I needed a break from hearing the morning screams of,"Mommy!!!",the temper tantrums,and hearing brothers fight over a stupid toy that,I swear,neither of them really wants to play with anyway.Our lives as a couple picked up right back to the days before kids.We roamed the streets…>> Read More

food

13 Years After My Eating Disorder,Moments Like These Still Happen

Erin Konheim Mandras

I had the best idea for dinner last night.I texted my husband at 9:30 a.m.,completely aware that he had just finished his breakfast and wasn't even thinking about lunch yet,not to mention dinner.… I wrote,"Vegetarian lasagna?" As soon as I read back,"yes to lasagna," off I went to Trader Joe's.Craving only dairy lately,specifically cheese,I bolted straight to the cheese section.Was that water leaking from the ceiling,or was I really drooling?After examining and deliberating between all six containers of freshly grated…>> Read More

eating

I Wish I Could Eat Like a Kid Again

Erin Konheim Mandras

I go through the McDonald's drive-thru at least twice a week to order a Chicken McNugget Happy Meal for my son.The smell of fast food French fries bursting from the box is beyond… enticing.My son orders macaroni and cheese off the kids' menu at the majority of restaurants where we dine.Why is it that when delivered to the table, the creamy bowl of cheesy noodles is screaming at me,"Eat me,eat me!"? The cheese is always melted so perfectly throughout,and the shape of the noodles is so appealing that my mouth…>> Read More

stay at home moms

I Love Being a Stay-At-Home Mom,But I Hate This Question

Erin Konheim Mandras

At the time my first son was born,I was confronted with the most challenging decision of my entire life: continuing to pursue my career,or becoming a stay-at-home mom.It suddenly seemed like for… my entire life,I was on autopilot.I went from preschool,to elementary school,to middle school,to high school,to college,and then onto my first job.I had an identity in each of these phases.In middle school,I was a soccer player,on the track and field team,and an honor student.…>> Read More

stay at home moms

The One Comment I'm Tired of Hearing as a Stay-At-Home Mom

Erin Konheim Mandras

It was an unusual couple of months for me.I had committed to taking a group fitness class for several weeks straight.It involved spinning combined with insanity.As we adjusted the settings on… our individual bikes,my friend shouted out something that stuck with me.After just delivering her second baby only weeks before,and being on maternity leave during this particular class,she yelled,"I told my husband last night that if he lets me quit my job to be a stay-at-home mom,I promise to lose…>> Read More

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