As the mother of a nice-sized family with teenage girls, bli ayin harah, I would like to ask for the opinion of the choshuve panelists as we begin a new year with its demanding schedule.

We are not a chassidishe family, but I have noticed something about the way many of the chassidishe girls schools run their curriculums and schedules that we might well learn from. Their school week runs from Sunday through Thursday. Because Friday is Erev Shabbos Kodesh, the girls stay home and help prepare for Shabbos.

Last year, I received a letter from my daughter’s principal stating that school is six days a week and that my daughter was likely to be penalized for too many absences. I spoke to her teacher and explained that I need my daughter’s help on Erev Shabbos Kodesh. I suggested that they poll other mothers. I assured them that many feel as I do, preferring to have their daughters at home on Friday. The teacher told me that this is the practice only in chassidishe schools.

I wonder why we stress academics so much and do not spend more time teaching our girls how to run a Yiddishe home. Pardon me for using this expression, but I think you will understand me when I say that when our daughters get married, there should not be “baptism by fire.” They need to know how to prepare for Shabbos.