The Blessing of a Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children

In the trenches of a typical day, every parent encounters a child afflicted with ingratitude and entitlement. In a world where material abundance abounds, parents want so badly to raise self-disciplined, appreciative, and resourceful children who are not spoiled by the plentitude around them. But how to accomplish this feat? The answer has eluded the best-intentioned mothers and fathers who overprotect, overindulge, and overschedule their children's lives.Dr. Mogel helps parents learn how to turn their children's worst traits into their greatest attributes. Starting with stories of everyday parenting problems and examining them through the lens of the Torah, the Talmud, and important Jewish teachings, "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee" shows parents how to teach children to honor their parents and to respect others, escape the danger of overvaluing children's need for self-expression so that their kids don't become "little attorneys," accept that their children are both ordinary "and" unique, and treasure the power and holiness of the present moment. It is Mogel's singular achievement that she makes these teachings relevant for any era and any household of any faith. A unique parenting book, designed for use both in the home and in parenting classes, with an on-line teaching guide to help facilitate its use, "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee" is both inspiring and effective in the day-to-day challenge of raising self-reliant children.

Review :
Carrie FisherFor anyone who has a child, was a child, or cares about children. Wendy Mogelteaches you how to raise a child to be a good person and not just raise a child to feel good. Great for the Jewish parent, great for the Presbyterian parent, the Buddhist, and even the skeptic. Peter Cobbexecutive director of the Council for Spiritual and Ethical EducationProphets call on the wisdom of a tradition, its revealed truth, to say out loud what we know but are afraid to utter. Wendy Mogel has issued a prophetic call to good parenting, one laced with psychological insight, practicality, and humor. Her words are themselves a gift of faith and a blessing. Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkinauthor of "Putting God on the Guest List"Wendy Mogel presents us with one of the finest and most challenging books on parenting to emerge in recent years. In a firm and loving voice, she reminds parents and all those who care about children of the sanctity of parenting. Her blending of Judaism and parenting wisdom jumps off every page. I love her work -- both as a rabbi and as a father. Reverend Robert Thompsonschool minister of the Phillips Exeter AcademyWhile reading "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee," I felt that I was being tutored by an elder in the ways of the world. As a Christian minister, I have found that our faiths have that relationship to each other. As a parent, I was encouraged in the very ways that our generation of parents is baffled. You have hit on all of the issues that are difficult: materialism, permissiveness, guardianship against the destruction of humane values, and preservation of sacred time and space in a harried, dislocated world. Reverend Robert Thompson school minister of the Phillips Exeter Academy While reading "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee," I felt that I was being tutored by an elder in the ways of the world. As a Christian minister, I have found that our faiths have that relationship to each other. As a parent, I was encouraged in the very ways that our generation of parents is baffled. You have hit on all of the issues that are difficult: materialism, permissiveness, guardianship against the destruction of humane values, and preservation of sacred time and space in a harried, dislocated world. Carrie FisherFor anyone who has a child, was a child, or cares about children. Wendy Mogel teaches you how to raise a child to be a good person and not just raise a child to feel good. Great for the Jewish parent, great for the Presbyterian parent, the Buddhist, and even the skeptic. Peter Cobbexecutive director of the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education Prophets call on the wisdom of a tradition, its revealed truth, to say out loud what we know but are afraid to utter. Wendy Mogel has issued a prophetic call to good parenting, one laced with psychological insight, practicality, and humor. Her words are themselves a gift of faith and a blessing. Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkinauthor of "Putting God on the Guest List" Wendy Mogel presents us with one of the finest and most challenging books on parenting to emerge in recent years. In a firm and loving voice, she reminds parents and all those who care about children of the sanctity of parenting. Her blending of Judaism and parenting wisdom jumps off every page. I love her work -- both as a rabbi and as a father. Reverend Robert Thompsonschool minister of the Phillips Exeter Academy While reading "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee," I felt that I was being tutored by an elder in the ways of the world. As a Christian minister, I have found that our faiths have that relationship to each other. As a parent, I was encouraged in the very ways that our generation of parents is baffled. You have hit on all of the issues that are difficult: materialism, permissiveness, guardianship against the destruction of humane values, and preservation of sacred time and space in a harried, dislocated world.