You would think that by now, almost at the age of 12, it would be a little easier to keep my son quiet and entertained during Rosh Hashanah services at temple yesterday BUT NO. It’s the same as when he was three, if not worse.
So much for taking a nice picture of him dressed up like everyone else did of their children according to facebook.
It took all of my strength not to holler at him (or laugh at him) for his shenanigans and constant asking if we can leave yet.
If you can even believe it, my kid commended me for my patience and tolerance level as he tapped my arm and tried everything he could to annoy me.
Perhaps all of my reading of the book, Jewish Spiritual Parenting by Rabbi Paul Kipnes and Michelle November has been helping me deal lately.
Being a parent is not easy.
As much as I assumed this before my son was born, assuming and actually knowing first hand once you have children that belong to you and never leave is a totally different life lesson.
And, I hate to break it to you new moms, it only gets harder as they get older.
No one told me this. Seriously. I figured that once my son left the infant stage, toddler stage and preschool age, once he was able to walk and talk and be left in a room unsupervised without the fear of him choking or hurting himself, once he was able to play on his own, that my parenting problems would go away and life would go back to normal, as in simpler, but boy was I naive, out and touch and, well, wrong.
Little kids, little problems, big kids, bigger problems.
Anyway, back to my new book. I received a copy of Jewish Spiritual Parenting to review or maybe, just maybe, the real reason I received this helpful book is because the powers that be from above felt that I could use some assistance in raising my tweenager.
An easy read loaded with valuable, relatable and applicable information, I do realize that not all of my readers are Jewish nor do all of my readers have children.
I think the best part of having this book is having access to the general life lessons, things we can all apply and think about in our daily lives no matter how we fill out the census report.
I chose two sections for today that I find beneficial for us all to remember.
1) Our bodies are worthy of appreciation and care:
The focus on creating a positive body image, the importance of self-care and viewing both rest and exercise as a gift to ourselves for our emotional and spiritual well-being stood out to me immediately.
Most important to note is how we reflect this to our children. Kids are impressionable – they absorb everything they see and hear which is something I never forget.
I do not own a scale and often explain why to my son so that he knows we are not defined by a number and the words “fat” and “ugly” have never been uttered from my mouth. Not about myself, certainly never about my handsome boy nor about others.
Social media is just another influence in already difficult world which views thin as perfect when the reality is, we need to learn that each of us are special and beautiful just the way we are.
2) Learn to enjoy a day of rest:
While Jewish people are known to observe Shabbat, a day of rest, it’s actually a practice we all should take part in to give our minds and bodies a break at some point during the week.
It doesn’t even have to be a full day, sometimes all we need is a little bit of down time, doing something positive that we enjoy to rejuvenate our spirits.
I love the examples given in this book!
The power of walking, even if only for a few minutes, should not be overlooked nor should savoring a scoop of ice cream as a form of relaxation 🙂
This picture is now 10 years old but serves as a reminder that sometimes afternoon ice cream cones can be really fun even if you have to share them.
Of the ten relaxing suggestions listed above, which do you normally do or want to do when you are looking to take a break?
Important life lessons from the book Jewish Spiritual Parenting #motherhood #parenting #lifelessons #roshhashanah #rest Click To Tweet
Can I just say that this must be the coolest book ever for suggesting that you have ice cream and a “brief at home dance party”? That is awesome.
I am totally your son. I get worse about sitting still with age, not better!
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Health Needs Meet Wants with Made to Matter at Target
I know right? Great real-life suggestions.
I would most likely NOT pick that book up for the title (even though I’m technically Jewish and a parent) BUT I’m an idiot because it looks great. I totally agree with big kids, big problems. Sometimes I’m amazed at how strong my mom is, then I remember what my sister and I have put her through!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma recently posted…My Daily Routine to Rebalance this Fall
lol you made me laugh. The title may throw you off at first but the information inside is really valuable. I too was surprised to find what I did.
I’m Catholic and the idea of Sabbath is very important to us as well. Like you, I’m always so grateful for what it reminds me—that we need rest! And ice cream.
Laura @ This Runner’s Recipes recently posted…Why and How to Run Warm-Up and Cooldown Miles
Rest and ice cream – perfect relaxing day!
At home dance parties are my favourite 😉 I don’t make it out to the club as much as I did when I was younger, so dancing at home is my only way to get a fix. And I love the idea of regularly getting up to take a walk and stretch. When I know I had a long stretch of work ahead of me, I set timers to remind me to regularly get up for a few minutes — helps me stay focused in the long run.
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…. greek yogurt pumpkin banana bread .
YOu and me both. I totally need to get up and go for a walk/take a break in order to get things done efficiently.
I promise you after 13 gets a lot easier. God blessed me with three boys (22,21,and 12) I say blessed because I was a police officer for almost 20 years. I know what teenage girls are capable of. So as boys get easier-girls get harder. Take a look at my blog from today I talk about my 12 year old too. Have a great day
bakingrunner.blogspot.com
So true- girls can be so much more difficult in so many ways.
I was laughing out loud b/c my kids were asking to leave services after we had been there for 5 mins…we survived for an hour an 1/2 but glad to know they weren’t the only ones itching to get out of there ASAP! As for taking a break, love the full body stretch!
Have a great day!
Lauren
We made it a little over 2 hours but not without him going in and out to the bathroom!
I love going out for a quick treat for myself, totally alone, without any form of technology. Whether it’s an ice cream cone or a 15 minute back massage, it’s nice to disconnect from distractions and focus on myself.
Jamie recently posted…All the (Holiday Week/end) Miles 8/31 – 9/6
I need to unplug way more often than I do, it’s a great feeling.
I feel so bad when I think about the difficulty my parents had keeping us in high holidays services. Many parents let their kids run out and run in, and we often ended up disappearing even from the children’s service. That book sounds great!
Alyssa @ Renaissancerunnergirl recently posted…A Visit to the Getty Villa
It’s okay, when you have kids, they will get you back for how you made things difficult when you were a kid lol
I was always such a pain in religious (and any) services. Buy my dad was usually just as bad as I was so he couldn’t really be mad! 🙂
Hahah, I know right? I was always good when I needed to be but I do know what’s it’s like to be a kid which I try to remember when he is driving me nuts!
I am way more nervous about raising older kids and teenagers than little kids! But I guess there’s a reason why they progress through those phases to prepare you for what’s to come. Maybe? I love the ideas in this book! I have been trying to focus on getting away from the computer throughout the day or reading/sitting outside instead of staring at a screen again in the evening.
Lisa @ Running Out Of Wine recently posted…Using Fitness Trackers to Think Outside the Run
I try not to be on my computer at night either although sometimes I want to look at websites for shopping instead of working but I need a break from the screen!
I love so many of the tips! I do love to send funny emoji’s/love texts to my husband and family to brighten their day and let them know I’m thinking about them. I love to look through old photo albums; it always makes me smile. And I love to read with my daughter (and to myself 😉 ).
Heather@hungryforbalance recently posted…Just for today
Emojis are a good time, aren’t they?
I love reading during my quiet time. It’s so relaxing but I hardly ever read anymore because I’m usually on my phone while in bed at night. We need to learn to unplug more and enjoy our time.
Sheena @ Paws and Pavement recently posted…Shaking it up!
I haven’t been reading either which is a shame. I used to love a good book.
My favorite way to unwind at the end of a long day is by taking a bubble bath and enjoying a good book…even if it is just 20 minutes!