I try to speak openly about my battle with depression on this site. Most notably in my previous article “Parenting With Depression: The Longest Season” which can be read here. It is the time of year where I tend to be at my worst. This year is no different, and the last few weeks have …
A Thank You Note For 2018
Truth is 2018 was the hardest year of my life. It was an unrelenting barrage of bad news and stressful situations. In January, my wife’s grandmother passed suddenly, a month later her mother found out she had cancer, and in May my mother was diagnosed with cancer as well. Months of watching our mothers have …
The December Blitz: 5 Ways to Take Care of Yourself During the Holidays
It’s holiday season again, and we all have 46,000 things to do. There is family, kids home from school, shopping, the work Christmas party, friends parties, holiday projects, cooking holiday meals, decorating the house, etc. Everyone has an extra full plate. The holidays are supposed to be a fun time, but too often we find …
The Loose Tooth
Every time I look at her, she has grown leaps and bounds. I know we all feel this way, but every once in a while certain things make it all very real. This week my daughter is about to lose her first tooth.
December in the Interfaith House: Holidays Everywhere!
Oh, December has arrived! With it comes the holiday season. For most people this means one holiday, but not in our home. This Sunday starts Chanukah and we will be celebrating as a family, and then for 7 subsequent nights after that we will light the menorah and give gifts. Every Jew reading this …
The Impossible Balance: Why I Quit My Job
I quit my job last week. As someone who has had a traditional job of some kind or another since I was a young teenager, this was a difficult and jarring decision. My wife and I had been going over the pros and cons of one of us leaving the corporate environment and whether the …
The Great Divide
I remember 9/11. I remember the shock of the first plane, and the confused horror of the second. I remember trying to call home to see if everyone we knew was ok, and I remember the hours of downed lines as everyone else was doing the same. I remember smoking a cigarette and watching the world …
Parenting With Depression: The Longest Season
I am depressed. It’s 2017 and mental health is not supposed to be taboo anymore, yet for some reason, I would be lying if I said I didn’t still carry some shame even admitting that. I know that scientifically it’s a chemical imbalance, and I can’t just snap out of it at will. I’ve known that …
Kids Are Natural Protesters: Show Them How
My daughter tells a lot of stories that involve ants doing things. She just really thinks ants are cool. So yesterday, my wife finally asked her why she likes ants so much. Her response was simply “Ants are little, but when they work together they can lift really big things!” Her explanation made me smile because …
Five Lessons To Teach Our Kids At Home
As parents, we are the beginning point of our child’s education. They look up to us, mimic us, and shape their worldview through our lens. Obviously, there are many other influences, and as they grow they will develop their own opinions. However, those opinions will be heavily based on the lessons and behaviors they learn …