It's Happening at HERJC! - Hewlett E. Rockaway Jewish Center

our jewish future
nursery school
CHERYL KARP
Welcome back! When my children
were younger, I watched a TV show
with them that they loved and I
thought gave wonderful messages in
appropriate and non-threatening
ways. I would not have watched this
show on my own; however it was
great for kids and starred a huge,
purple dinosaur. Some of my friends
commented that I was letting my children watch a show
that was too childish! Imagine that!
This was bad enough until my oldest daughter came
home from kindergarten crying. She loved Curious
George, and one of the kids said Curious George was
for babies. My heartbroken daughter almost gave up on
George but finally realized it was okay to like something
different than others.
I was saddened by that child’s reaction and worried
about a dangerous trend in our country: Children today
are far more sophisticated than in the past. They are ex -
posed to more sexual and violent images, and more news
of terror and hate than any generation before them.
Children today are also pushed harder academically.
Recess is given away to more reading and writing classes,
even though there is evidence that children who are
forced into intellectual activities for which their brains
are not ready, and denied outlets for free play, become
adults who are insecure, lack imagination, and are not
anymore successful in life than those who went through
their childhoods in an age appropriate manner. A rather
disturbing article appeared in the New York Times last
May which discussed the inappropriateness of tutoring
three-year-olds so they would “make” the proper city
schools. We are causing stress among our children and
insecurity among our parents.
The Book of Genesis and Rashi, one of the greatest of
Biblical commentators, have great insight into this
dilemma. According to the story, when God created
Adam and Eve, God put them in the Garden of Eden
and told them they could eat anything they wanted in
the garden except the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge
of Good and Evil. They do eat the fruit and are expelled.
Was God setting them up for failure? According to
Rashi, God did intend for them to eat of the tree but
only when they were ready. Adam and Eve acquired
knowledge of good and evil much too early in their
development. While they learned there was good and
evil in the world, they lacked the ability to determine
which was good and which was evil. They had a lot of
information but no way of processing it.
We are seeing increases in levels of children with
behavioral and learning issues. Perhaps it is because
researchers are paying more attention to children in
general. Or perhaps it is a result of not letting children
be children. A child is not merely an unfinished adult. A
child is a unique being with his or hers own needs
which do not necessarily conform to adult expectations.
Unfortunately, in our society, hundreds of children live
in great poverty and have great difficulty keeping up in
school. Even in wealthy families, children are left alone
for hours with no adult supervision with predictable
results. Media is filled with language that would make
the average person blush. Schools stress academic
achievement over imagination and slow and steady
growth. People without children should be equally concerned.
This is the generation that is going to lead us
one day, or perhaps not, depending on what kind of
adults they become. We need to find a way to celebrate
childhood, not treat it like a liability. Every child
deserves a real and safe childhood. It is a gift that if
taken away, is gone forever.
Thank you for entrusting your child to us. We look
forward to a year in a safe, healthy environment where
your children can enjoy their childhood and grow at
their own pace.
page 22 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 www.herjc.org HAKOL