"Definitely don’t disqualify a potential partner based on background. But don’t be naive either"
Miriam Yosef’s piece “Swallowing Frogs” about her struggling teen was totally heartbreaking. As Miriam shared, I know that rabbis and counselors all advise parents to swallow their pain, anger, and hopelessness. The change has to come from them.
But where is one iota of compassion for his/her parents and siblings on the part of the child who says, “This is me, get used to it,” as Miriam’s daughter did? How can a child have no feelings for the parents who raised her with love and devotion?
It is true that we can never give up on our children but it just seems so unfair that all the work has to be done by the parents and the rebellious child bears no responsibility whatsoever for his/her behavior.
A Mother in Jerusalem
I hope it’s not presumptuous of me to say that I understand the situation. I have compassion for all parents and children struggling with these dynamics.
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