President Obama Has Proclaimed January as National Mentoring Month. By Karen Schloss, Match Coordinator “There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.”*  Stories abound testifying to the miraculous difference a mentor can make in the life of a child or teenager.  Those of us who staff the … More » read more

Many Jewish parents today don’t see themselves as Jewish educators.  They aren’t fluent in Hebrew, they aren’t experts in Jewish texts, and they might not even know what contemporary educational researchers recommend.  But Jewish parents are Jewish educators, whether they know it or not. Judaism isn’t an abstract … More » read more

Bill Burnett, parent and professor at Stanford University, and his wife thought they were doing all the right things when they recently allowed their teenage son to have a party at their home. Put yourself in their position.  You decide to allow your teen to host a party in … More » read more

Driving home from work the other day, I was waiting at a long red light.  In front of me was a Chevy pick-up truck.  There was plenty of time to notice the bumper sticker on the back fender.  It read: “MY KID BEAT UP YOUR HONOR STUDENT.”  I was both incredulous and offended…. Read more read more

Imagine what it’s like to be a child shuttling back and forth between two homes on a weekly basis.  You have two bedrooms, two sets of toys, two neighborhoods.  That is the reality in many families today.  Due to high rates of divorce these children are living between two parents, in … Read more… read more

As parents, we all want to keep our children safe.  But we may be unwittingly exposing them to danger right in our own homes. Many of us think of medications as “good drugs.”  We tend to be a little lax about leaving medicines on the kitchen counter, or not bothering to throw … More » read more

The new school year is in full swing.  Has your child been invited to a sleepover yet?  Seems like everyone is doing it.  As a child therapist, I get questions from parents of young children such as:  “How do I know when my child is ready for sleeping away from home?”  Read More ... read more

These days it seems as if children have the upper hand in many families.  Children are making their own rules in the home, and parents are letting them get away with it. Sometimes it’s hard to exert our authority as parents.  Coming into conflict with our children can feel uncomfortable,...  Read more… read more

You have asked your 10-year-old child repeatedly, “Pick up your shoes and move them to the closet, put your dirty clothes in the hamper, pick your toys up off the floor, clear your homework off the table…” Read more read more

Remember the comedy movie “Home Alone,” when the parents went on a family vacation and forgot their 8-year-old son? Kevin was left to fend for himself, and he proved to be self-reliant, remarkably independent, and incredibly ingenious as he successfully defended his home against ridiculous intruders.  Probably not the ideal first “home … Read more… read more