Reaching the Struggling Teen Based on the Teachings & Guidance of Harav Mattisyahu Salomon zt"l - "My child is exhibiting warning signs of straying. How do I determine how serious the situation is?"
- "How much of my child's behavior should I notice and act on, and how much can I ignore?"
- "Everyone talks about unconditional love. What do these words truly mean, and how do I express my unconditional love for my child while simultaneously setting boundaries?"
- "How can I overcome my own hurt, anger, or grief, so I can bring my child back to Hashem and His Torah?"
- "How do I mitigate my struggling child's influence on my other children?"
The issues and questions that arise in the wake of a child straying from the Torah path are as innumerable as they are excruciatingly painful. Nowhere do we see the importance of being properly guided by da'as Torah as in this difficult scenario.
The Chazon Ish zt"l would tell people that the only way to coax wayward Jews back to Hashem is through avosos ahavah, cords of love. This book, based on guidance provided by the Mashgiach of Lakewood, Rav Mattisyahu Salomon zt"l, to countless families who went through this painful challenge, and culled from the author's long discussions with him, explains how to express love to a struggling child in the correct way.
But With Cords of Love isn't only for parents of struggling teens. Parents of all types of children, of all ages, will find these pages filled with valuable tools and skills to aid their chinuch efforts in our tumultuous times, so that we can, with Hashem's help, raise every Jewish child to enthusiastically embrace a life of Torah and mitzvos.
By Rabbi Ezriel Tauber