Stuff I Like: Wendy Mogel's Book, The Blessing of a Skinned Knee

I love a good parenting book. And I especially like a good parenting book that provides useful information while striking an optimistic note. It is like talking with a wise friend who can troubleshoot with you while providing reassurance that everything is going to be all right.

Wendy Mogel does this beautifully in The Blessing of a Skinned Knee. As a clinical psychologist, she became disheartened by the pervasive malaise that seemed to underpin the lives of many of her patients, folks who seemed to have good reason to be happy and content. In attempting to make sense of this, she returned to the roots of her Jewish faith searching for answers in the wisdom of the Torah, the Talmud and other Jewish teachings. I am not Jewish, but the lessons and insights contained in this book extend far beyond the boundaries of any particular faith tradition. They feel very universally applicable.

As the title suggests, there is much to be learned from the things that do not go as we might like. Oftentimes, more. And since every life is filled with countless examples of things that turn out in unscripted and often unwelcome ways, it is encouraging to be reminded of the wisdom in embracing "what is" as a means to growing to an even better place of "what may be".

One of my favorite take homes from this book concerns the way in which we view the most frustrating and challenging aspects of our childrens' characters. Identify those, she says, and you have also found their greatest strengths. It is a call to work with who our children are rather than to work against it and to help them grow into their own best selves.

This book is informative, encouraging, and a quick read. It felt a bit like being reminded of stuff that I somehow already knew. But it is a thoughtful and encouraging reminder to connect with truths than run deeper than the whims of contemporary culture. Ms. Mogel offers strategies for encouraging respect and gratitude, for fostering responsibility, and for connecting with truths that run deep within ourselves and our children.