“Ms. Sheila, look at our Thanksgiving decorations!” These were the excited exclamations of the children in our afterschool program when I stopped in to say hi last week. Scattered throughout the room were what appeared to be scraps of paper of varying shapes and sizes. Some of these decorations were covered in clearly recognizable drawings, others colorfully designed, and still others with nary a scribble. The creator of each was proud, and, when asked to tell me about their creation, would say, in one form or another, that they were making Thanksgiving beautiful (one friend was working on Sukkot). In all of these decorations, there wasn’t a single turkey, cornucopia, pumpkin, or even a thought to the use of a fall color palate. As a matter of fact, to my blind eye, one of their decorations looked exactly like a uterus. I had to stifle my adult laughter. So what made them Thanksgiving decorations? The artists made them Thanksgiving decorations! These children have spent the past … [Read more...]
Good Enough IS Super Mom
A few weeks ago, I overheard a conversation between a mom and a teacher. The teacher had babysat for the mom and was sharing how lovely her home was, how organized and clean it was, with two very young children in the house. The mom thanked her and lamented that she felt like she didn’t do enough. She felt she should do more. More cooking, more cleaning, more special projects, just more. As I listened, I realized how often I hear this same sentiment, and how often I have felt it myself, especially in those years when my children were young. It is a horrible feeling. And looking around, how is it that by all appearances, everyone else is doing so much? The perfect house, beautiful meals, clean clothes – that match, hair that isn’t in a ponytail, happy kids all the time! What? These Super Moms must have superpowers. Right? No, they don’t, because they don’t actually exist. We all have days where things fall into place. The house is clean, dinner is made, the hair is done and we … [Read more...]
Swastikas on Bathroom Walls are Not Normal!
In addition to teaching at Schiff, I also teach 8th grade at the Diamond Family Religious School of Temple Emanu-El on Sunday mornings. I have worked with teens for years and love learning from the young adults in our community. Last week, I sat with my students intending to have a brief conversation about their experiences attending the Social Action Local Action Mini-Conference at Temple Emanu-El the week prior. What happened blew my mind and has been spinning in my head ever since. Many of my students attended a session on hate. The session included a panel discussion with representatives from Interfaith Community Initiatives, Inc., The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church, and Atlanta Initiative Against Anti-Semitism (AIAAS). It was a great session. I was there, but my students told me they felt like it was more for adults, and then they told me about their experiences, and my heart stopped. My 8th graders told me about swastikas in their school bathrooms. They told me about … [Read more...]
Spooky Shabbat Shalom, Hey!
The Shabbat celebration at preschool is the highlight of my week. Joyfully sharing our traditions with children, singing and learning together, is special, magical. This past Friday we had a double dose, celebrating Spooky Tot Shabbat during the evening hours. We began the tradition of Spooky Tot Shabbat two years ago at Temple Emanu-El and I was so grateful to Rabbi Spike for letting us do it. Halloween has always been one of those holidays that was secreted away, not allowed at the synagogue. It is not a Jewish holiday, some say it is even pagan in origin, and yet in all my years of Jewish education, I have yet to meet a family who does not engage in the modern Halloween traditions. Costumes, candy, and jack-o-lanterns! In the month leading up to Halloween, school playground and lunch table conversations are buzzing with one primary subject: costumes. “I’m going to be Buzz Lightyear!” “I’m going to be Elsa!” “I’m going to be Batman!” “I’m going to be a Police Officer!” On … [Read more...]
Ask First, Then Hug
If you have a Facebook account, you are probably dumbstruck by the amount of #MeToo posts coming across your news feed. It is my hope that these posts will spark discussion, and ultimately, provoke change. As an early educator, and mother to a daughter and son, I have always believed that I can make a difference. In the context of #MeToo, that means respecting the physical person, understanding the power of my words, and teaching our little ones. Your body is sacred. It belongs to you. For young children, that means they get to decide if they want to be touched, even a hug, and should be asked first. Kisses, too. This applies to family, friends, teachers, everyone. No one kisses me without asking first, and if I say no, my answer is respected. A small child deserves the same. Language is powerful. The messages children hear shape who they believe they are and who they may later become. Spend one whole day noticing extrinsically focused, gender specific language. “You look so … [Read more...]