“There’s an organization for every type of distress — for older singles, childless women, those whose child has special needs.
“And here’s the woman who has the ‘perfect life’: she married quickly, had a baby a year later. And then another, and another, and another. And she’s drowning.
“She feels horrible because she dreamed of being a perfect wife and mother. Why is it so hard? Why is everyone else managing, and she’s not coping?”
Sarah Rivlin, a teacher and parenting expert, understands these women well.
Sarah is the proud mother of 16, ranging in age from 2 – 24, and a grandmother of several. She was a homeroom teacher, but as her family grew, that became too demanding, and she switched to teaching only math.
But for years, she’s been sharing parenting advice.
“I meet mothers of small children and remember myself at that stage. I speak with them, and let them know that yes, this time is wonderful and beautiful, and it’s also overwhelming and challenging.
“Just hearing this — that they’re normal, that it’s ok if a child cries, that some days the dishes pile up — made such a difference.
“One woman told me, ‘Letting me know I can serve soy schnitzel if I’m having a hard day was such a huge help.’
“There was a woman I met at the well-baby clinic. She had three little kids, two of them wailing. I told her ‘It’s hard, it’s an overwhelming time, you have all these little children. You’re doing a great job.’
“Her husband later told my husband, ‘Your wife saved my wife.’ Normalizing the challenge means so much to these young women.”
Sarah can do more than validate. “I’ve made Pesach in every situation — before birth, after birth, after making a wedding. I’ve toilet-trained so many kids, seen so many kids through first grade. I’ve figured out systems for cleaning, laundry, Shabbos prep, and makinga good supper quickly.”
Sarah had a dream to create workshops for women in the early stages of motherhood – those first ten years, when the children are so needy and they’re also clueless, so mothers get little appreciation.
“I want to give women appreciation for their roles, realistic expectations, and practical tools.”
She eagerly joined when she saw Temech’s ad for “Employees with Initiative” — an intensive course teaching salaried women how to open a side business.
“I came to Temech with a burning vision, but it was amorphous,” she says, “I didn’t know how to make it happen.
“By the time I finished the course, I had practical tools and clear strategies. My dream felt like it could become reality. I know the steps I need to take, and I’m preparing to launch.”
She’ll be giving group workshops and then offer personalized follow-ups for those who want more targeting advice.
“Women are so hard on themselves. They have unrealistic expectations and feel like failures when they don’t manage the impossible. They’re creating worlds. Every child is an eternity.
“We know that women—and their mothering, as they raise the next generation—bring redemption. But women need tools to raise their children with confidence and happiness. Providing that is my goal.”
