Our Jewish communities set themselves apart from the greater outside world in many ways.  Not the least of which is our emphasis on children – having them, raising them, and caring for them. And we’ve been doing this for a long time.  It almost becomes a forgone conclusion, then, that we all “just know” how to raise our children, and deal with their challenges.  Children’s misbehaviors can be chalked up to being “just kids.”

But for parents considering pursuing private help with their children – children who just don’t seem to respond to “regular” parenting tactics – a deep feeling of failure sets in.  They ask themselves, “isn’t he just a kid, like everyone else?  So why can’t I raise him?  Am I cut out for this?”

And further down the road, when the parents have concluded their child “has” something – ADD/ADHD/ASD, or any other as-of-yet letterless pattern of behavior – the questions only get more painful.  Visits to the park become nightmares and public meltdowns are commonplace. Well-meaning friends can’t resist the urge to ask what’s the matter, but the drowning parent just has nothing to say.

The month of Tishrei, which should contain some of the happiest, family-centered moments of the whole year, becomes a month of worry and anguish.  The high-stress levels, the lack of any daily structure, the backbreaking housework load, and the constant pressure to “make the most of this special month,” all seem to be a setup for failure.  “Why can’t I get through to him?  What did I do wrong with him today?  Will he ever change?  

The fact is, some children are just more difficult.  More complex.  But with the right tools, we can always grow as parents and learn new ways of connecting to the most challenging children.

Amy and Evelyn Guttman, graduates of SUNY Health Science Center of NY, and OTR/L practitioners have been treating families and children with over 40 years of experience between them.  Better known as the “Guttmann Sisters”, Amy and Evelyn currently run Hands on OT Rehab, a private practice focused on treating children with anxiety and processing delays, as well as a practice, focused on training and educating therapists, pediatricians, educators, and parents. They have evaluated over 12,000 children, have been guest lecturers in some of the most prominent universities worldwide, and their weekly talks, “Quiet the Noise”, have gathered a community of over 60K listeners each week.

Together with motivated, devoted parents, they’ve managed to transform homes of despair and confusion into secure bases from which children experience long-term progress and resolution.

Parents have learned how to navigate a world that seems to constantly misunderstand their issues, effectively parent when a lack of time and resources is simply getting in the way, and balance the needs of the child and the demands of the system.

Their underlying belief is a simple one – Every parent deserves support and tools to succeed in the very real struggles of child-raising.  And every child deserves a parent that has these tools.  Next week, The Guttmans will be co-hosting a 1-hour webinar entitled: “Calming The Storm: Learning to Connect with a Complex Child.”  This is an amazing opportunity and should be taken advantage of by mothers worldwide.

This Tuesday, Oct 25th- join us at 8:30 PM. 

REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR TODAY