Parenting

Dear Rabbi, My child recently came home from school and complained that some classmates are picking on him. He doesn’t want to tattle on them to the teacher because this could cause the classmates to pick on him even more. Rabbi, please advise me on the “Jewish way” to help him. Thank you!

We have a grown, married son who has a penchant for friendship with women while he eschews socialization with men. This disturbed us as he was growing up. We tried back then to steer him toward activities with boys, but he showed no interest. Instead, he enjoyed traditionally feminine hobbies and hanging out with girls. We talked to a psychologist back then who said it was his personality and to let him be. We always thought he would grow out of it. Now he is an adult who lives on his own. He has built for himself a life in which he spends most of his awake hours around women, both professionally and recreational. This has been going on for many years now. All the women he hangs around enjoy his company, even as he is the only man surrounded by dozens of women. They like him because of his charming, delightful personality, kindness toward women, and gregarious nature. A few years ago, he married a fine Jewish woman. We were so overjoyed. We thought that might solve this problem. Instead his wife has helped his cause and finds it endearing that he likes women so much. He is very faithful to her. He just enjoys women for friendship. And with his wife’s blessing, he continues to hang around women and even spends one-on-one time with some female friends. We think it is extremely inappropriate the way he lives. What do you think we as parents can do aside from talking to him directly or consulting with a rabbi around here, since he will not listen to either on this matter?

Hello Rabbi, My wife and I are having a bit of a disagreement. I don’t know what right thing to do. My question is this, at what age can I take my daughter to visit her grandfathers gravesite? A little background. I was born in Russia. I moved to America when I was 5. Most Russia Jews are not very religious but share a lot of values and traditions. One thing I was raised to believe is that you don’t take children with living parents to cemeteries, unless the children is old enough or married. The issue is my wife’s father passed 6 months ago and my wife is only 25. She’s having a hard time with the passing. Now after 6 months my daughter who is 7 years old is starting to get sad and cry at random time, when we ask her what’s wrong she says that she misses grandpa. My wife thinks it will help and stop our daughter from having those moments of sadness/crying. I growing up not bring kids to cemeteries and very uncomfortable with this idea. Plus I think this will not help, may actually make it worse. I think we should find other ways to handling / deal with those moments. I would love some advice and guidance in this matter. thank you

One of my children complains that I favor his brother over him and am nicer to his sibling. I play favorites of his brother over him. I’m not aware that I do this. Do Jewish teachings say anything about playing favorites? Thank you.