Monthly challenges can be great fun. They help us improve our lives one little step at a time. Great changes take little bits of work over time. So I am pleased to bring you a month of ideas to help you improve your Torah parenting skills. I am excited to hone myself during the month of November, and I hope you will join me. Please take a little time to do the project each day and share your experiences with the rest of us each day. Some projects are fun, some are a little more serious. Enjoy!

Day 29 ~ If a child is grumpy, ask them to put on their smile.

I invented a little game when Isaac was younger. If he had a pouty face, I would remind him to put on his smile. He wouldn’t, so I’d ask him if he lost it. Did he leave it in his room? Was it in his pocket? Did he want to borrow mine? I would “put my smile” on his face. He would pretend smile, and I would say, “No, that doesn’t fit right!” By this time, he would suddenly “remember” where his smile was and begin grinning from ear to ear. Sadie loves this game, too. Why not give it a try?

A merry heart does do good like a medicine!