My Child is “Half” Me

How can our child be half of each of us and still be one religious identity?
In a recent workshop a Jewish parent was concerned that their spouse needed to feel that their child is “half” him and they weren’t sure how to make that half something other than half-Jewish and half-Catholic. Look at what is the same as the non-Jewish parent. This dad pointed out that their child is quite emotionally expressive like his spouse, blonde like his spouse, verbal, popular, has lots of friends and is artistic – all like his spouse. Play up those similarities; talk to your children about them. Young kids love being like their parents. Even teens, though they may be less expressive, like to emulate things they admire in their parents.

Posted in Children
Published on October 22nd, 2010