Even God Had Bad Parenting Days

“A deeply relatable, comforting guide for anyone who ever feels overwhelmed by parenthood . . . does not shy away from matters like the author’s postpartum depression, loneliness, and financial strain. This authenticity sets Even God Had Bad Parenting Days apart from other parenting books.” –Leah Grisham, The Jewish Book Council “Heartfelt, funny, and poignant”  –The Jewish Review “A multidimensional work of meditation and love” –Mikhal Wiener, Lilith New parents get overwhelmed, regularly pushedto their limits and confused by contradictory feelings of elation andnear-despair. To soothe the frazzled and lift their spirits, writerand Bible scholar Alicia Jo Rabins has created “Even God Had Bad ParentingDays: ancient Jewish wisdom for new parents.”  Humorous, self-reflective,and comforting, Rabins’ musings on both heartening and cringe-worthybiblical examples of parenting can help any caregiver see beyond the detritusof day-to-day living with young children and recapture a sense of wonder at theprocess of raising small humans. Parents do worry about their failed attempts to be perfect,and these short, personal essays can lead them to new perspectives and even toembrace a vital concept that English psychologistand pediatrician D.W. Winnicott called “the good enoughparent.” The supportive and inspirational writings of thisgentle parenting book can help any soul embarked upon this wild,sacred work recognize the wisdom of poet Norman Fischer’s advice that “theonly transcendence is fully embracing the ups and downs.” This collection draws on Alicia Jo Rabins’ years ofexperience as a writer, Bible scholar, and feminist Jewish educator , and isbased on her popular series of articles on parenting for Kveller.