Simply Jewish Parenting

Adina Soclof
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Judaism

Practical Jewish parenting tips for raising resilient, grateful, value-driven children in today’s world. Welcome to Simply Jewish Parenting — practical guidance for raising confident, resilient, values-driven Jewish kids. Hosted by Adina Soclof, Parent Educator, Speech Pathologist, and founder of ParentingSimply.com, this channel helps parents build calm homes, strong character, gratitude, emotional intelligence, and Jewish connection. Expect short, research-based episodes on real parenting challenges: tantrums, entitlement, sibling conflict, screen time, teens pulling away, and holiday overwhelm. Learn how Jewish wisdom, rituals, Shabbat, blessings, Modeh Ani, and traditions can make parenting easier, not harder. Adina has taught thousands of parents and professionals and is the author of Parenting Simply: Preparing Kids for Life. Join a community that understands your struggles and equips you with language, tools, and compassion. Subscribe for Jewish parenting tips, behavior insights, family communication skills, and encouragement—because parenting is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone.

  1. 2d ago

    Realistic Family Vacations Without The Meltdown

    You can spend months planning a family vacation and still end up thinking, why is this so hard? I get it, because the hardest part is often not the travel, the packing, or the budget. It is the pressure we pile onto the trip before we ever leave the driveway: everyone should get along, the kids should be grateful, the weather should cooperate, and we should come home rested and deeply connected. That perfect version sounds nice, but it turns every normal hiccup into proof that the vacation is “going badly.”  I walk through a mindset shift that makes traveling with kids feel lighter: don’t expect a perfect vacation, expect a real family vacation. That means planning for the most predictable parts of parenting on the road, like sibling fighting, cranky moods, whining, surprise hunger, and at least one plan that falls apart. When you expect a little messiness, you stop treating bumps like disasters and start recovering faster with more patience and flexibility.  We also talk about what actually makes a trip meaningful. The best memories are often the small moments, not the big activity: ice cream after dinner, laughing in the hotel room, a short walk after supper, or collapsing in pajamas because everyone is done. I share a practical exercise to do before your next family vacation: write down three realistic expectations and one simple thing that would still make the trip feel successful, even if plenty goes wrong.  If you want more tools for staying calm when parenting stress spikes, I also mention my email course Stop Yelling and Create a Calm Home. If this helped, subscribe, share it with a friend planning travel, and leave a review so more parents can find these family vacation tips.

  2. Jul 28

    Screen Time Limits Without The Fight

    Turning off the TV or tablet shouldn’t feel like pulling a fire alarm, but for a lot of families, ending screen time sparks instant negotiating, complaining, and dramatic predictions of doom. I’m Adina Sakloff, and I’m walking through how to set screen time limits without getting dragged into a daily power struggle, even when your child is loud, persistent, or heartbreakingly convincing.  We start with a calming truth: kids are supposed to push back against limits. Their disappointment doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong; it means they’re practicing being a kid. From there, I share three practical strategies you can use today across video games, phones, computers, and TV. You’ll hear simple language for saying no calmly, why long explanations often backfire, and how consistency teaches children that arguing won’t change the boundary.  Next, we lean into humor and confidence as a parenting tool. When kids try emotional negotiation, we can stay warm and firm at the same time, keeping our nervous system grounded so theirs can settle. Finally, we talk about boredom and why “There’s nothing to do” is not a problem to solve for them. Boredom can be the doorway to creativity, independence, and real frustration tolerance, which supports healthier digital habits and child development over the long run.  If this helped, subscribe, leave a review, and share the show with a friend so more parents can feel confident setting healthy screen time boundaries.

  3. Jul 21

    What To Say When Your Teen Says You Don’t Trust Me

    “You don’t trust me.” Few teen phrases hit faster or harder, and it’s so easy to snap into defense mode, lecture, or sarcasm. Today we slow that moment down and look at what’s usually happening under the words so we can respond with more calm and a lot more clarity. We’re parenting in the messy middle where teens want privacy, independence, and freedom, while we still have to provide limits, supervision, and guidance. I talk through why that tension is normal, why curfews and check-ins feel controlling to them, and why our job isn’t to hand out unlimited freedom but to teach our kids how to handle freedom responsibly. We also name an honest idea that can change the tone of the conversation: trust isn’t all-or-nothing, and boundaries aren’t the opposite of trust. You can trust your teen and still ask questions. You can trust your teen and still say no. If trust has been damaged by lying or poor choices, we shift away from blame and toward rebuilding with consistent actions over time. I share simple language you can use, plus a memorable three-step script you can pull out in real life: validate, clarify, give hope. Most of all, we hold onto the core Jewish parenting value that relationship is bigger than the mistake, and our teens need to know we stay connected even when we’re correcting them. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this with a friend who’s in the teen years with you. What’s the hardest boundary conversation in your house right now?

  4. Jul 14

    A Simple Parenting Tool To Reframe “Difficult” Behavior

    The fastest way to change a child’s behavior might be changing the story we tell ourselves about who they are. When we’re deep into summer routines and siblings are together all day, it’s easy to slip into labels like “messy,” “bossy,” “lazy,” “shy,” or “difficult” even if we never say the words out loud. Those labels don’t just describe our kids; they shape how we talk to them, how patient we feel, and what we expect to happen before anything even happens. We’re also entering the Nine Days, a tender time for our people, when sadness and reflection sit alongside a real push toward ahavat chinam, loving others more generously. That includes our children. So I share a simple Jewish parenting tool that helps me stop and reset: when I catch a negative label in my mind, I ask, “What is the positive side of this trait?” The child who argues may care deeply about fairness. The child who seems stubborn may be courageous. The child who talks nonstop may be expressive and socially confident. The child who takes forever to get ready may be careful and thorough. This isn’t ignoring problems; it’s responding to the whole child while still teaching, guiding, and setting limits. You’ll also hear a practical one-week challenge to try at home: pick one child, pick one label, identify the possible strength underneath, and spend a week looking for that strength in action. Kids are always growing and changing, and the way we see them can either trap them or help them become who they’re meant to be. If this helped you, subscribe, share the episode with another parent, and leave a review so more families can find it.

  5. Jul 7

    What Happens When You Trade Control For Trust

    Summer can turn parents into nonstop reminder machines. Camp bags, towels, sunscreen, water bottles, library books, and somehow we’re the ones holding the entire plan in our heads. I want to offer a calmer, more effective alternative: trade the next reminder for a problem solving question that helps your child think, plan, and take ownership. We talk through exactly how to do it with simple language you can use right away. Instead of “Don’t forget your towel,” try “What do you need to bring so you’re ready for swimming today?” Instead of “Pack your camp bag,” ask “What is your plan for getting ready for camp tomorrow?” And when the same item keeps getting forgotten, we explore how one question can spark a real system, not just another round of nagging. This approach supports executive function skills like planning and follow through, while also building confidence and independence. We also connect it to Jewish parenting values: raising kids who contribute to family and community, keep learning, and grow through experience. Stepping back just enough isn’t doing less, it’s teaching more, because responsibility develops when kids get opportunities to practice and learn from small mistakes. If this resonates, subscribe to Simply Jewish Parenting, share this with a friend who’s tired of repeating themselves, and leave a review so more families can find it. What’s one reminder you’re ready to replace with a better question?

  6. Jun 30

    Summer Misbehavior Reset

    Summer sounds like it should be easy, but a lot of parents quietly experience the opposite: louder days, bigger feelings, more whining, and a shorter fuse for everyone. We’re naming what’s really going on when kids “misbehave” in the summer and why it often isn’t defiance at all. When school routines disappear, kids lose the anchors that help with emotional regulation, and the result can look like arguing, meltdowns, and constant power struggles.  We walk through three practical summer parenting strategies that actually fit real life. First, we adjust expectations so summer stops feeling like a parenting failure and starts feeling like a seasonal shift. Then we build a loose but predictable plan, not a rigid schedule, with simple anchors like wake-up and bedtime ranges, screen time expectations, and clear must-dos. Finally, we focus on responding to crankiness with connection before correction, including small, concrete moves like offering a cold drink or snack and naming what you see when your child is overwhelmed.  To make it immediately usable, we share a simple tool you can try today: the 10-second reset. When a meltdown starts, you pause, reframe the moment as dysregulation, lower the immediate demand, and choose a grounding response that helps both of you calm down. If you want a calmer, more connected summer and fewer daily battles, subscribe, share this with a parent friend, and leave a review so more families can find it.

  7. Jun 23

    Packing A Social Toolbox For Camp

    Camp is packed with little social landmines that adults forget are even there. Where can I sit? Can I touch someone’s stuff? How do I join a game without getting shut down? If your child is heading to summer camp and you’re worried they might feel overwhelmed, I share a simple way to prepare them for what camp really demands: the hidden rules. We talk through practical camp readiness skills that help kids feel steady fast, including personal space, respecting belongings, staying with the group, following directions, hygiene, and handling homesickness. For kids with social challenges, ADHD, executive function struggles, or communication differences, we get extra concrete: practice conversations and quick role-plays like “Can I sit here?” “Can I play too?” and “Can I help?” These tiny scripts can prevent big blowups and make friendship moments feel doable. We also cover an essential pre-camp topic many parents avoid: personal safety. I explain how to keep the conversation age-appropriate and calm while still being clear about body safety rules, okay touch vs not okay touch, and why kids never need to keep secrets about uncomfortable situations. You’ll also hear where to find trusted resources designed for our community. If you want your kid to pack more than socks and toiletries, this is your reminder to pack their social toolbox too. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s sending a child to camp, and leave a review so more families can find these summer camp parenting tips.

  8. Jun 16

    What Kids Learn When We Praise Dad Out Loud

    We talk about fathers as active, essential parents and why the “clueless dad” storyline in books, media, and jokes quietly shapes what kids believe. We share what research says about father involvement and a simple daily practice that helps kids see and value their relationship with their dad.  • noticing how dads get portrayed as incompetent in everyday media  • why repetition of “dad jokes” can shape children’s beliefs about family roles  • research links between involved fathers and academic success, behavior, and emotional regulation  • how everyday moments build emotional safety over time  • choosing balanced language that shows respect without pretending parents are perfect  • using “name the positive” once a day with specific, real examples

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Practical Jewish parenting tips for raising resilient, grateful, value-driven children in today’s world. Welcome to Simply Jewish Parenting — practical guidance for raising confident, resilient, values-driven Jewish kids. Hosted by Adina Soclof, Parent Educator, Speech Pathologist, and founder of ParentingSimply.com, this channel helps parents build calm homes, strong character, gratitude, emotional intelligence, and Jewish connection. Expect short, research-based episodes on real parenting challenges: tantrums, entitlement, sibling conflict, screen time, teens pulling away, and holiday overwhelm. Learn how Jewish wisdom, rituals, Shabbat, blessings, Modeh Ani, and traditions can make parenting easier, not harder. Adina has taught thousands of parents and professionals and is the author of Parenting Simply: Preparing Kids for Life. Join a community that understands your struggles and equips you with language, tools, and compassion. Subscribe for Jewish parenting tips, behavior insights, family communication skills, and encouragement—because parenting is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone.

Information

  • Creator
    Adina Soclof
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Simply Jewish Parenting
  • Show Website
    Simply Jewish Parenting

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