"Shmuleyisms"

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, the host of TLC's reality TV series Shalom in the Home, gives on-the-spot parenting advice to families in crisis. How can you bring shalom—or peace—into your  home? His words of wisdom…

  • Many parents believe they can take a hammer and chisel and sculpt their children into an image of what they want them to be. Instead, it's much more effective to get [your children] to hear their own inner voice of what they want to be.
  • The media allows us to escape a very unhealthy situation. If we really found our families interesting and engaging, we wouldn't have to watch four hours of TV.
  • When kids turn out "bad," it's because the parent didn't know how to get through to the child.
  • The first commandment of every marriage is put the marriage before the children. When children see a living example of love, then even as they leave the home, they take it with them.
  • Parenting is done with two hands—the right hand is unconditional love, and the left hand is establishing boundaries amidst that unconditional love. That is the role of a parent—love and discipline.