The Jewish Community Center and Jewish Parents as Teachers (J-PAT) are planning a community-wide speaker series called “The Oys and Joys of Parenthood – the Preschool Years.” This series will kick off from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4 at the JCC Staenberg Family Complex in Creve Coeur with local author and humorist Ellie Grossman.  Grossman will discuss her latest book, “The Mishegas of Motherhood – Raising Children to Leave the Nest…as Long as They Come Home for Dinner.”

Self described as a “stay-at-home-mom who never stays home,” Grossman says her book is “a collection of my favorite columns in one tidy package.”  This collection of parenting humor takes on topics such as, “Answering The Big Question: Is There A God?” “Everything I Need To Know I Learned From My Dog,” “Chocolate Makes Everyday Sweeter,” “Planning A Dream Bar Mitzvah Can Be A Nightmare,” “Teen Brain Baffles Parents,” and “Jewish Girls Don’t Camp.”

This speaker series for parents will continue in 2012 and beyond with other speakers such as Debbie Granick, a registered nurse and licensed clinical social worker who will advise parents on how to “Tame the Tantrum,” as well as Dr. Milton Rubin who will speak about “Who is Running This House Anyway?”

“The Oys and Joys of Parenthood – the Preschool Years” speaker series is free and open to the entire community. 

This program is coordinated by the JCC’s Helene Mirowitz Center of Jewish Community Life and J-PAT and funded in part, by grants from the Gladys K. Crown Foundation honoring the memory of Shirlee Green, the Rich Fund of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and the Kranzberg Family Foundation.