Happy Wednesday,

It has been a very emotional and tough week for me. Witnessing and learning more about the atrocities that are happening to the people of Israel has shattered my heart. Dozens of babies have been murdered, families are seeing their loved ones executed on live streams and I’m seeing open anti-semitism in cities ranging from New York to Sydney. This isn’t the world I want my daughter, who’s half Jewish, to experience. There’s so much beauty out there, and people are too trapped in their own hate to see it.

I encourage everyone to reach out to their Jewish friends and let them know that you’re thinking of them. Because at the end of the day, we just want to feel comfortable and safe in our own skin, in our homes, at music festivals, and on the subway. We all deserve that.

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One Big Idea

The Echoes of Our Past in Parenting

Navigating the journey of parenthood is filled with a myriad of emotions and challenges, many of which stem from our own upbringing. It's not uncommon to find ourselves mirroring the very behaviors we once experienced as children. While it's natural to have moments where we instinctively react out of anger or frustration, it's crucial to understand that these reactions might be more about our past than the present situation with our child.

Our emotional responses to our child's behavior often echo unresolved feelings or memories from our own childhood, becoming unintentional projections onto them. These generational patterns can persist, sometimes rooted in familial histories that go back several generations, subtly influencing our parenting style. Recognizing these patterns can lead to a profound understanding of our own emotional triggers, and help us provide a nurturing and understanding environment for our children.

The story of the mother who inadvertently inherited her fear of noisy children from her own mother's experiences with her strict grandfather serves as a poignant reminder. Her self-awareness allowed her to break that chain of reaction and offers hope for others to understand their triggers and rewrite their own parenting scripts. It's not about aiming for perfection in parenting; it's about being aware, taking responsibility for our reactions, and, when necessary, having the humility to apologize.

Trending Stories & Insights

• In a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. working adults, more than half of employees with children say they have considered leaving their organization because of a lack of childcare benefits

• Ryan Reynolds says that the most important lesson he teaches his children is to be self aware

• No surprise here: "I think if you're on Instagram, it's quite possible to have parenthood slightly mis-sold to you,” says an ex-doctor who is now raising 2 infants with his husband. But he also adds that the net benefit of having kids is still enormous

Tip of the Day

• 5 things kids with ADHD want parents to know, according to a psychologist

F**k it, here’s a dad joke

How can you tell when a comic passes gas?

Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for the answer!

Time(out) for Memes

Note: this is the only meme for the day, since it’s actually worth a watch

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