"I know it's hard now," she said, "but it will get better. It will be worth it in the long run." She has eleven kids. She's talking from experience.
Author: Chaya R
Mama, It’s OK to Rest
Recovering after birth is always a journey... there's always that struggle, that feeling of guilt when we put ourselves in the center for a change. I wrote this three weeks after birth as I talked myself through that struggle.
Trust Part I: Trusting Nature
There are some pretty nice perks to living in Jewish Brooklyn. For one, there's the convenience of having practically any product you'd need available in Kosher or Jewish form, not to mention dozens of restaurants and cafes to choose from for any occasion. And while there’s what to say about its lack of green spaces… Continue reading Trust Part I: Trusting Nature
When It Comes Down to Trust
It’s been a little while since my last post. The main reason for that is the obvious: time. My job has been extra intense recently, and life with five kids is busier than with four. Bedtime now takes longer, depriving me of that precious post-bedtime quiet time I used to depend on. I also haven’t… Continue reading When It Comes Down to Trust
Aren’t five children enough?
I was surprised at my reaction. I mean, it may have sounded casual enough, but boy, was I taking this to heart.
Postpartum Reflections
If you aren't following me on social media, you may not have heard - Baruch Hashem we had a beautiful baby boy on 12 Av, about two months ago. Thankfully we are both doing well, and I hope to be posting here more frequently now that I'm back to myself! xx Chaya *** I wrote… Continue reading Postpartum Reflections
Good News!
It’s been eleven months – almost a year – since I created this blog. In the first three months, I wrote about ten posts. There was momentum, I was working hard, and I felt I was making real progress. Then, in the eight months that followed, I posted about five times in total. That’s a… Continue reading Good News!
Principle #3: Be Positive
I started an Instagram account recently. It wasn’t for publicity, though I won’t complain if it helps with that too. I did it because going on this journey, I realized another vital principle in successfully raising a large, busy, and happy family. It’s called Positivity. The Challenge of Parenting We all know that parenting is… Continue reading Principle #3: Be Positive
Principle #2: Set Yourself Up for Success
So we’ve dropped the idea of the perfect mom and the perfect family. We agree that it’s not something to aspire for, but an unhelpful ideal we had best forget. But accepting our flaws is not a free pass for neglecting our job. It is our duty to be the best parent we can with… Continue reading Principle #2: Set Yourself Up for Success
Principle #1: Expectations
In the past few posts, we discussed some ideas about parenting. How the primary partner in forming a child is G-d, and how that awareness affects deciding to have kids. I discussed how parenting fits in to my life even when I have big plans for myself. Now I want to move into a slightly different… Continue reading Principle #1: Expectations
When You are a Parent and also Ambitious
Today I want to talk about why parents are important. And why it really matters, at least to me. Let's start with the basics: Parents give birth to you, raise you, and give you everything you need as a child – and the tools to grow into the adult that you later become. Simply by raising… Continue reading When You are a Parent and also Ambitious
Deciding to Be a Parent
Having a child is a huge responsibility. It is not like any other relationship, where, should things go wrong, one can usually walk away. Once a child is born, there is no going back. The choice that we made to have them is a permanent one, with lifelong consequences. It is up to us, the parents,… Continue reading Deciding to Be a Parent
We Have Been Published!
It's been an eventful week for us here at the Gift of Children. We are excited to share with you our latest development: Last Tuesday, at the wedding of Chanchy and Menachem Schmukler, a beautiful booklet was distributed. It includes our very own articles from the first unit "What is a Child?" laid out in a beautiful… Continue reading We Have Been Published!
What Makes a Parent?
A parent is defined as a father or a mother, or someone who has kids. It’s a simple equation: 1 man + 1 woman = 1 child. Ok, that equation doesn’t actually add up. But it still makes sense, somehow. Well, what if I told you that in Judaism, the math is even stranger? Here’s… Continue reading What Makes a Parent?
A Quick Recap
Hi! Thank G-d, it’s been a busy Jewish holiday season: beautiful and inspiring, hectic and crazy, and still wonderful and fun. As for now, I’m glad to be back at the keyboard! But first - a quick summary of what we’ve covered until now; it’s been a while! Quick Recap The goal of this project… Continue reading A Quick Recap
Silencing the Bells
Hi friends, I'm back! It’s been a busy few weeks, with four little ones home between camp and school on top of high-pressure deadlines at work. Basically, the kind of situation that calls for the blog to take a back seat. As for now, we are back in business. When I began this project, I… Continue reading Silencing the Bells
The Big Picture
There’s nothing like a Chassidic explanation to give some perspective. So, this first mitzvah in the Torah. It’s a big deal, I know. It really is a big deal, not just because it’s important but because it’s actually a big deal to fulfill. My kids are sure to remind me of that, every day, and… Continue reading The Big Picture
The First Source
Last Sunday, we went on a family trip to the park. This time, for a change, it was to the big and beautiful Prospect Park, rather than the local playground. Upshernish for Child #2 is coming up and we needed a photo for the invitation. We parked the car, and piled out: little five-month-old and… Continue reading The First Source
On Parents, Gratitude, and Children
Every day that I work on this project, my appreciation for my children grows. It’s a wonderful thing, and yet I worried that I was losing sight of an issue I had set out to address: namely, the attitude of the American society today towards family size and children. So, I decided to get back… Continue reading On Parents, Gratitude, and Children
An Update
My dear friends, I know I have brought up many questions, perhaps even some you had never considered, and you’re waiting for answers. I, too, would love to see the answers. Truly, through the work we’ve done so far, I feel that I have already seen many, but until they are lined up neatly, clearly,… Continue reading An Update