Parenting with Fire

September 1, 2006
Children are troubled today because they do not experience true childhood, asserts Rabbi Boteach ("Judaism for Everyone: Renewing Your Life Through the Vibrant Lessons of the Jewish Faith"). Using his experiences as a father of eight and citing examples from his television show, "Shalom in the Home", he claims that parents can do better by using his PLANT method (protect, love, activity, novelty, tradition). He declares that -our primary job as parents is not to love our children, but to protect them, - especially from the media. Because only family, he insists, can provide unconditional love, your relationship with your family is more important than the one with your friends. Boteach refers frequently to God and insists that spiritual or religious traditions are necessary. Much of the advice here is repeated often in parenting literature, such as the importance of family dinners. Some concepts seem unrealistic, like the idea that children will prefer inspiring family activities to outside influences. And still other suggestions echo redundantly throughout the book, falling under more than one aspect of the PLANT plan. Unless Boteach is popular in your community, pass." -Janet Clapp, Athens-Clarke Cty. Lib., GA"

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.