Elisheva LissJun 155 minFireworks and Fireflies“He’s smarter than I am now…” The thought darts through my mind from time to time, punctuating our evolving conversations. My almost 17...
Elisheva LissMay 196 minRelationship Uncertainty*This originally appeared in the Five Towns Jewish Times State of Mind column* Dear Elisheva, I would imagine my problem is not unique,...
Elisheva LissJan 193 minSacrificing Souls on the Altar of ModestyIn my work as a therapist serving an almost completely religiously affiliated population, one issue that arises very, very often, is the...
Elisheva LissJan 136 minProblem with my Kid's RebbeThis post originally appeared as a column in the Five Towns Jewish Times: Dear Elisheva, We think we may have an issue with our son and...
Elisheva LissJan 44 minThe Problem with Labeling Pedophilia as a "Sickness"*Trigger warning, sexual abuse described:* Yitzi’s parents really thought they’d taught him enough: “No one is allowed to touch you in...
Elisheva LissOct 1, 20214 minDon’t even TOUCH it… How making fake rules can lead to disaster: A Chinuch Message“I think it was the earrings that were the final straw for me.” The young woman is explaining to me how she went from being a...
Elisheva LissSep 15, 20217 minMy Teen Discovered Pornography- What Should I Do??This originally appeared as a column in the Five Towns Jewish Times: Dear Elisheva, I honestly never thought I would be writing a letter...
Elisheva LissSep 5, 20214 minB'sha'ah Tova Faux PasAdina’s eyes darted around my office, then closed and watered with unsuccessfully repressed shame. She was trying to explain the freshly...
Elisheva LissAug 15, 20213 minHey, Teachers- Your Students Have IssuesA local teacher once called me to talk about some frustrating feedback she had gotten at work. Apparently, a parent had called the...
Elisheva LissJun 4, 20214 minFighting about Whether to Have a BabyHow do you decide when to start a family? How many kids to have? When to stop having kids? Even if we knew exactly how many kids we hoped...
Elisheva LissMar 14, 20213 min"I Was Molested by my Brother but neither of us Knew It."Trigger Warning: This post contains sensitive content about child sexual abuse. *Like all vignettes featured in this blog, it reflects...
Elisheva LissSep 9, 20203 minCoping with Back to School Season OverwhelmIt’s September, and children everywhere are yanking out their uniforms, knapsacks, paperwork, and supplies, packing up lunches and...
Elisheva LissAug 19, 20202 minThinking about Homeschooling in the 11th Hour? Hey, parents! How are you holding up?? With schools scrambling to formulate and convey their plans to reopen, many parents find...
Elisheva LissJun 21, 20202 minNo Camp? What Are We Supposed to Do??Are you one of the many parents who thought they were finally going to get a much-needed break from 24/7 parenting by sending your kids...
Elisheva LissApr 21, 20203 minThis Is Not HomeschoolingParents keep commenting to me: “Wow- this is so hard! I don’t know how you do this all the time.” And I answer: “We don’t. We homeschool....
Elisheva LissMar 23, 20201 minWhat to Teach Kids Right Now (And Always)What if we covered a little less math, and instead teach kids what really counts. Less social studies, and more social skills. Less...
Elisheva LissMar 22, 20203 minHow to Run Family MeetingsSo we find ourselves suddenly spending more time at home with our families than we ever have before. Trying to juggle parenting,...
Elisheva LissFeb 3, 20203 minTotally Grossed Out By Private PartsPlease Note: This post contains explicit content, is for mature readers only, and may be triggering for survivors of trauma. Fay and her...
Elisheva LissDec 5, 20194 minWhy It's Important to Teach Kids Accurate Names of Body PartsTzivi came home from preschool and told her mom that her Morah had gotten upset at her that day. “Morah said I used a bad word. But I...
Elisheva LissAug 29, 20193 minHey Teachers Your Students Have IssuesA teacher in my neighborhood once called me to talk about some frustrating feedback she had gotten at work. Apparently, a parent had...
Elisheva LissJun 20, 20193 minMore Attempts To Reduce Abuse This SummerTrying to Reduce Abuse this Summer As we wind down the scholastic year, label the socks, and pack up the duffels, we scan the emails...
Elisheva LissMay 22, 20197 min"My High School Principal Nearly Destroyed Me"“My Principal Wouldn’t Let the Other Girls Talk to Me” A courageous letter from a girl who was deliberately ostracized, to the principal...
Elisheva LissApr 15, 20194 minHang In There Young Mamas, It Gets Easier“Little kids, little problems, big kids, big problems. Just you wait!” warned the more experienced moms; their condescending tones...
Elisheva LissNov 26, 20182 minCould We Please Stop Telling Girls that Marrying a Yeshiva Guy Is the Only Way to Get a Good HusbandThis will be a short, not-so-sweet, but to-the-point post (bordering on rant). To some, what I’m about to say might be obvious, but to...
Elisheva LissAug 9, 20187 minParental Plane Letter to My Child Going Off to IsraelIn preparation for Rosh Chodesh Elul, I am deviating from my usual blogging style to share something a bit more personal. The following...
Elisheva LissJun 7, 20187 minMy Kid “Frummed out” in Israel:Should We be Glad or Concerned?Seven Talking Points for Parents“It’s not that I mind Rachel becoming more religious; we expected that to a degree, when we allowed her to go to Israel for the year....
Elisheva LissJul 28, 20174 minTeaching Children about “The Birds and the Bees”There are, essentially, only two ways for kids to hear about sex: their parents, and Someplace Else. While that “someplace else” may be...
Elisheva LissApr 12, 20167 minThe Perfect In-LawsDan and Liz were fighting about their families again. Both educated professional thirty-somethings, they do an impressive job juggling...
Elisheva LissMar 29, 20166 minHelp! My Wife Won't Go Back to WorkAnna was a 28 year old CPA, well respected in her company, and on track for eventual promotions. She married Josh, a 29 year old rising...