[COMMUNICATED] Esty wakes up in the morning, and, with eyes half closed, glances at her watch. 7:45 AM. Oh well, it’s a bit later than she would like, but that’s ok. If she hurries, she can still make her school bus. She quickly pulls on her uniform, gathers her hair into a pony, and skips downstairs for a quick breakfast. With a cheery “have a great day” to her mother, she grabs a snack and rushes outside.Next door, Chanie, her classmate, wakes up at the exact same time. 7:45 AM – oh no! How will she manage to catch the bus on time? With a worried glance at her watch, she carefully puts on her uniform, picking off the tiny pieces of lint she notices on her sweater. How should she wear her hair today – pony or bun? Standing in front of the mirror, she carefully brushes her hair into a neat pony, making sure that just the right amount of hairs stick out in front. She pauses at the top of the stairs and is relieved to hear the cheerful chatter at the breakfast table. No fights means a more relaxed day. Eating a quick breakfast, she selects a fruit from the refrigerator – much more mature than a snack bag – and rushes outside.
On the bus, Esty joins a heated discussion regarding which summer camp to go to. Most of the girls seem to favor Camp Temima, but Esty thinks she’d like to try Camp Ruach, a new camp opening this summer. Chanie, listening to the argument, can’t understand why anyone would attend a new camp – tried and true is definitely the way to go.
In class, Esty raises her hand confidently when her teacher asks a question. Chanie answers correctly but quietly when called upon. During recess, Esty asks to join the machanayim game that is being organized, while Chanie waits for someone to ask her whether she’d like to join. The day goes on predictably for both girls. Life does, actually.
I’m sure you get the picture. Is “Chanie” your daughter? Is she your student?
Hashem created each and every person with the unique personality and strengths that he or she needs to fulfill his or her role in this world. There are confident children and shy children, expressive children and reticent children. The trick is to recognize when these traits are normal and channel them in the right direction, or whether they’re unusual, extreme or worrisome.
Common belief is that brighter children are more likely to succeed than weaker ones. But studies show that more important than a child’s IQ is his EQ, emotional quotient. A child may be very bright and not lead a happy and successful life due to other factors such as anxiety, perfectionism, or weak friendship skills, while the weaker child may really go far if he or she is confident, is a good friend, or has good communication and listening skills.
We all know children, and even many adults, that are either bullies or are the victim of bullying, have flaring tempers, or otherwise have difficulty getting along with others. These issues affect people’s marriages, jobs, and every other area in their lives.
The world is becoming a more and more difficult and complex place to navigate successfully. However, there are tools out there to help us. The Social Awareness Course, given by Mrs. Rivky Katz, is a two – day comprehensive and interactive workshop geared to help parents, teachers, principals, special educators, seminary girls, and anyone wishing to discover the key to help children lead happy and productive lives. Due to popular demand, this course will now be given in Lakewood in addition to the regular Monsey venue.
Course dates are:
Monsey: July 8-9
Lakewood: July 15-16
Please call 845-422-3922 or email us at [email protected] for more information or to reserve a space. Slots are limited. We guarantee that you will not be the same parent or teacher that you were before!