Where do you begin when you decide to do anything you've never done before? Naturally, I began with the research. What were others in my position doing? What resources existed that I could take advantage of? I soon learned that homeschooling was becoming relatively popular in America, with over 3 million children learning at home… Continue reading Where do you begin when you decide to homeschool your child?
Category: Children
Choosing the Road Less Taken
By now you have hopefully read the Story Behind Our Big Move, the background behind the new chapter on chinuch I’m about to begin. If not, go ahead and read it, as it may give you some important context. A discerning (or curious) reader will notice that the article did not specify what path of… Continue reading Choosing the Road Less Taken
Chinuch: A New Chapter
I want to talk more about chinuch. I know I’ve said that before, but haven’t shared much yet. There’s a reason for that. Over the past three years or so, life has taken me and my family on a unique journey. And as I contemplated sharing my ideas, I doubted whether my unusual perspective would resonate with… Continue reading Chinuch: A New Chapter
The Story Behind Our Big Move
(Originally written for the Embrace Magazine, Issue 14) “Want to go away for Shabbos this week?” After ten years of marriage, I’m no longer surprised by my husband’s spontaneous—and to my mind, often wild—ideas. “Where to?” I ask. “There’s this place upstate that needs new shluchim. They want us to come this week to check… Continue reading The Story Behind Our Big Move
What Really Is Education?
I'd like to talk about education. And I know what you're thinking. You're right - I'm not a teacher, or any sort of professional educator at all. I'm just a mother raising her kids as best as she can. But hear me out. I've learned, over this past decade of raising my children, that I… Continue reading What Really Is Education?
What we have all been waiting for!
At long last I am thrilled to announce that The Gift of Children is now available to pre-order! After months of waiting for printing, shipping, (and shipping delays due to the conflict in the middle east), the books have finally arrived at their destination and will be in stores in a week, with Hashem's help!… Continue reading What we have all been waiting for!
Some great news to share!
Dear friends, I cannot believe it has been over a year since my last update here, and I am grateful for all of your patience. In fact, much has happened in the past year. Above all, we have two wonderful pieces of news to share with you all. First and foremost: On the 25th of… Continue reading Some great news to share!
And the Journey Continues…
Dear Friends, I am so grateful to update you that The Gift of Children will be on store shelves (and Amazon) in a matter of weeks, with Hashem's help. I know many of you are waiting to get your copy, so hang in there, and I'll be sure to let you know as soon as… Continue reading And the Journey Continues…
There’s a war in Israel, and I’m not at the rallies
“How are you doing?” my friend asks me, “I mean, with everything that's going on…” I pause for a moment. “I’m fine, Boruch Hashem.” I muster. “Really, more or less the usual.” Honestly, I'm not really following what's going on. That is, what's going on outside of my never-ending and all-encompassing role of mothering my… Continue reading There’s a war in Israel, and I’m not at the rallies
The Gift of Children is going to print!
Dear friends, Five years have passed since I started this blog. At that point we had four children; last year we were blessed with our seventh beautiful treasure. And I know that without this blog, it wouldn’t be the same. Time and again, I have returned to the words I wrote, to the ideas that… Continue reading The Gift of Children is going to print!
Trust Part III: Trusting the Unnatural
The conversation around having a large family is centered on the concept of bitachon: Trust in G-d. Here I dig a little deeper into what that really means. Read Part 1. and Part 2. The Rebbe has said some radical things, and held some positions that even other Jewish leaders had trouble accepting. One of them… Continue reading Trust Part III: Trusting the Unnatural
Is it rude and close-minded? Or is it something else?
What my children taught me about the power of an exclusively Jewish education.
Maybe I’m Not Good Enough to be a Parent
I don't feel prepared for this. It’s one thing to raise toddlers, who basically need food, sleep, and a generous dose of love. But now it’s getting more complex.
Why I’ll Never Again Be Ashamed of My Mommy Brain
The kids are finally heading back to real school.Sigh of relief, anyone? It’s been a long summer.I don’t know if my summer was longer or shorter because of the crazy thing that I did. Listen to this: I ran a day camp in my own house. If you thought you remembered me saying I’m NOT… Continue reading Why I’ll Never Again Be Ashamed of My Mommy Brain
Getting enough help… when you really don’t think you can
I have always struggled with cleaning help. With a household of eight, husband who works full-time, and a part time job myself, there's lots of action, lots of mess, and too little cleaning up. I wish I could say it's just the deep cleaning that doesn't happen, but... that wouldn't be totally accurate. Do I… Continue reading Getting enough help… when you really don’t think you can
So How’s Life with Six Kids?
"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.
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
Finding Strength within the Chaos
It felt like a lose-lose situation. Staying home was risky for our sanity. But leaving the house as it was seemed like a pretty bad idea too. Cabin fever won out, and we went.
Oh G-d, this is not what I signed up for!
I'm still reeling. I don’t remember another message that hit me as hard as that announcement on Friday. No. School. For at least a month. In the busiest season of the year. This can’t be real. This is NOT what I signed up for. I’m supposed to be able to send the kids out.I’m supposed to be… Continue reading Oh G-d, this is not what I signed up for!
Choosing Denial
I despise dirty stoves.Dirty counter tops get to me too, as do dirty dishes and pots. And I loathe clutter.But nothing gets under my skin quite like a grimy stove. And yet, this morning, my stove is dirty.I see it, but I pretend that I don't.Instead, I see my 17-month old in his high chair… Continue reading Choosing Denial
Trust Part II: Trusting Fate
Yes, G-d takes it upon himself to personally supervise every aspect of my life. It's a beautiful idea, and I think most of us really embrace it. But I think sometimes we forget what the real lesson of Hashgacha Pratis is.
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
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!
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
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
A Question of Worth
Let’s talk a little more about these people. Those little people we call our kids, who are not really kids, but extraordinary people we have been blessed to help raise. Forgive me while I ask another basic question. What is a person, really? I mean, there’s over seven BILLION people in the world. That’s a… Continue reading A Question of Worth
Back to Basics
There is something powerful about taking an idea and breaking it down to its core. So, before we get into any deep spiritual or psychological ideas, I’m going to begin with this simple question: What is a child? The term “child” has two main definitions: a son or daughter, or a young person. Meaning, a… Continue reading Back to Basics