The child doesn't tell you what dangers he's in, because he knows mom will freak out. But we're not stupid. One look is enough

A new book by Dr. Efrat Shalev-Leibovich presents 15 monologues of mothers of combat soldiers, describing anxiety, guilt, loneliness, and parental dissonance in the face of sending their children into battle. The mothers speak about their sons hiding dangers from them, about feelings of betrayal, and about coping with the fear of the knock on the door.

Dr. Efrat Shalev-Leibovich's new book, "Mothers on the Frontline: Experiences of Mothers of Combat Soldiers in the Swords of Iron War" (Kinneret Publishing), presents 15 raw and poignant monologues of mothers of male and female combat soldiers. The mothers describe the helplessness, guilt, and parental dissonance of sending their children into the inferno, alongside physical manifestations of emotional distress, such as uterine pain and clenched teeth. They speak about loneliness, about their sons hiding dangers to protect them, and about coping strategies like prayers, challah separations, and searching for signs of life on WhatsApp. One of the mothers interviewed committed suicide during the war, highlighting the depth of the distress. The book seeks to validate the mothers' feelings and show them that they are not alone.

The child doesn't tell you what dangers he's in, because he knows mom will freak out. But we're not stupid. One look is enough