Parenting Articles by Yaakov Lieder

As parents we have a unique, never-to-be-repeated opportunity to set up a "self-esteem bank account" from which our child will draw throughout his or her life...

When we enter into the communication out of "nothing," then everything becomes possible...

Why is it that I can influence others, but I can't get through to my own children and grandchildren? Is there anything wrong with them or with me?

What our children need most from us is not another toy or another vacation, but something only we can give them: ownership of their lives

"I cannot work any harder than I'm working now!" one busy father asserted. But maybe the trick is not to work harder but to work smarter

"If I say yes, he will say no. When he wants to deal with the situation in a nice way, I want to be tough. Our children sense our differences and play us against each other..."

"I don't care what you think about me, as long as you don't tell me." Is this what your child, spouse or co-worker really wants?

Johnny was hungry, so he ate a roll. He ate a second roll and a third, but he was still hungry. So he ate a bagel. Finally sated, he said to himself: "Stupid me! Next time I'll eat the bagel right away!"

Real change can only happen if we are prepared to give up our old set of beliefs about the other person

We would never tell a two-year-old, "Why, that's not how that word is pronounced at all! And what a way to walk! Oh, you'll never walk or talk properly." So why do we do that with our children's dreams?

"I get porridge for breakfast," complained the yeshivah student, "porridge for lunch and porridge for dinner." To which his friend student responded: "I get excuses. From porridge one can live; from excuses a body can die!"

Our job as parents is to sell our children to themselves. The first point of reference for a child's self-esteem -- or lack thereof -- comes from what the child believes the parents think about him or her

One of the most important human needs is to be listened to and understood by others. The closer a person is to us, the greater the need. Your children will want to confide in you -- unless you're sending them the wrong messages

Some families bring pets into their homes for the purpose of teaching children to care; but the satisfaction in caring for a human being is far greater and more meaningful

If you are blessed with two or more children, chances are that they will fight. But what can be even more damaging, in the long run, is that you will be expected to act the judge

Love your child's mother, don't say "No" when you mean "I don't know", and what to talk about when your children are listening

"Why is it that the parents whom I most need to speak with don't show up at meetings, while those whose children are doing fine come to every parent/teacher night?" My response was that her question is in fact the answer

Some children focus on all the good they received from their parents. Others focus on what they feel they should have received

Adam and Eve's children learned from them, by example, how a parent cares for a child. But they couldn't be an example to their children of how to look after one's parents

We often hear parents say, "I told you a thousand times not to fight!" or, "I told you a million times not to exaggerate!" Perhaps that's the problem