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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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Dr.Wendy Mogel is an internationally known clinical psychologist and author of the New York Times bestselling parenting book,The Blessing of a Skinned Knee.A popular keynote speaker,she lectures widely at conferences,educational and religious organizations and schools.

behavior

Overindulging Your Kids

Wendy Mogel

Jewish tradition encourages adults to say 100 blessings of gratitude a day.To fill a blessing quota this huge,you have to be vigilant about looking for things to be thankful for.Ritually observant… Jews don't waste any time.The moment after awakening,they begin with the morning blessings: "Thank you,God,for returning my soul to me." They say another prayer before eating breakfast.Throughout the day,they continue to give thanks at every possible opportunity.The obvious purpose of all these prayers is to increase our awareness…>> Read More

behavior

Manners

Wendy Mogel

Derech eretz (the way of the land) means etiquette and good manners in its narrowest sense,and standards for honorable,dignified behavior in its broadest.The sages taught that if the Jewish people… demonstrate the virtue of derech eretz yet don't fulfill any other Torah principle,they will still receive merit from God.Derech eretz teaches us to always be sensitive to the feelings of others.Opportunities to practice derech eretz include greeting people,inviting them into our homes,and speaking about other people in a respectful way…>> Read More

behavior

Gratitude

Wendy Mogel

One way to turn our focus to our many blessings is to learn from the pros--the very same children who we claim are too fixated on stuff.While at times they seem to take all their cues from TV… commercials and shopping mall culture,they are also masters at appreciating the little things.The sages say that God is in the details.Children are specialists in the holy details.Just as the yetzer hara (bad inclination) leads them to pester you about toys and clothes,the same source also provides natural exuberance and appreciation…>> Read More

parenting

How to Avoid Becoming an Overprotective Parent

Wendy Mogel

Of course,there are aspects of modern life that parents are justified in worrying about.Among the families I work with,the fears center around the big three: crime,safety,and the media (TV;… music,film,and the Internet).These worries stand out in bold relief against the rosy memories of their own childhoods.Robin,a client in her late forties,waxed nostalgic one day: "It's a shame our kids can't live the way we did.The summer I was seven,I had an adventure a day.I rode…>> Read More

behavior

Honoring Guests

Wendy Mogel

Torah puts great emphasis on the importance of welcoming people into your home,making sure they feel comfortable,and giving them your full attention--it's a mitzvah called hachnasat orchim… (hospitality to guests).According to the teachings of the Talmud,we are required to: • Greet guests at the door and escort them inside.• Make an effort to remain cheerful during the visit.• Offer food and drink.• Ask our guests questions about their interests and activities.• Escort them to the door…>> Read More

behavior

Respecting Parents

Wendy Mogel

One afternoon recently a woman called to ask me to speak at her son's school.Here is what her end of our conversation sounded like:I think you should speak on Thursday the tenth of April.Did you… look in the bottom drawer?Because on the third the parents of the fourth graders,try on Daddy's desk,will be picking their kids up from the retreat,not before dinner,and they'll probably want to be at home with them that evening.I said you can have it for dessert,not now.Are you…>> Read More

behavior

Respecting Grandparents

Wendy Mogel

Children learn by our example.If your children are to develop genuine respect for you,they need to know what respect looks like in action.More than listening to your words,they observe how you… and your spouse treat your own parents.In Jewish theology,deed carries more weight than creed.This means that God is more interested in our actions than in pledges of faith,in how we treat others than in the quality of our prayer.The sages of the Talmud taught that God said,"Better that my…>> Read More

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