What's In Your Child's Backpack?

What's in your child's backpack? Papers from the first day of school crumpled up on the bottom? A half-eaten sandwich from two weeks ago? (Hopefully not!) There are those children who carry everything they own with them- even taking it all home. The backbreaking backpack tends to be of big concern for parents and students. The backpack has been a source of stress for middle schoolers since the beginning of time. (Or, more correctly, since the late 1960's when school backpacks were first produced).

We do teach the skills of organizing one's backpack in Sixth Grade Advisory, (see below), but students who are by nature disorganized have a hard time implementing the strategies for an extended period of time. Then there are our “nervous Nelly” students. They are afraid to leave something at home or to not bring something to class, so they will never let go of carrying everything- despite our best intentions in assisting them in doing so. Some of those students are our most disorganized who have discovered a way to cope with their disorganization- you'll never forget anything if you have everything!

What should the parent's role be in helping a child keep his backpack organized? How can we as parents ensure that our children are bringing home what they need and only what they need? I think the first response is that middle schoolers still need their parents! I know that first time parents of sixth graders often struggle as they feel their children are in middle school now and they should not have to take a hands on approach at this age. Realize your child is now balancing nine different teachers, with nine different expectations and nine different sets of supplies! Most disorganized students do need their parents to help them sort it out and monitor their progress at the beginning. Some might need that supervision longer. Typically speaking, the backpack is often the tip of the iceberg, and the disorganization is often more widespread.

How do I know if my child is disorganized? According to Donna Goldberg, author of The Organized Student, the organized student:

• Doesn't carry everything he owns in his backpack (I'd add to this, that if the backpack is neat, and your child says there are other reasons why the backpack is full- this may not be disorganization).
• Can identify and bring home the books, supplies, and worksheets he needs in order to complete his homework.
• Can locate his finished homework in class and hand it in on time (Yes, there are many students who do their homework and neglect to hand it in, or e-mail it to a teacher).
• Can study efficiently because he knows when tests are coming up, has set aside enough time to study, and doesn't waste time looking for class notes and handouts.

The disorganized student on the other hand,

• Frequently loses papers.
• Doesn't hand in assignments on time at all.
• Has a backpack full of crumpled paper and random objects.
• Can't break down long-term projects and misses deadlines.
• Leaves everything for the last minute.
• Disrupts home life with frantic searches, urgent requests for late- night help, and anxiety ridden meltdowns.

Like any other skills, organization skills can be taught. It is tricky when a parent attempts to share tips with a middle schooler. They would take the advice very eagerly from a stranger, but when a parent suggests it... not exactly. The less emotional we get about the process, the better.

Mrs. Goldberg's book is a great resource. I also want to share with you a bit of what we did this past week in Sixth Grade Advisory, as we began our Organization Unit focusing on lockers, backpacks and the home workspace. Parents of seventh and eighth graders should find this section helpful as well.

One method we discussed with them was the P.A.C.K. Method.

P=  Purge

• Clear enough space on the table or floor to spread out
• Have a large garbage can or bag within reach.
• Remove everything from your backpack and lay it  out.
• Throw things out that are obviously garbage.
• Make a pile of things you don’t need to carry around anymore.  

    A= Accessorize

• Make a list of accessories that will make it easier for you to stay organized. (ex. Pencil case, folders, binders, three hole puncher etc.)

C= Categorize

-Separate everything else that came out of the backpack into  piles- textbooks, notebooks, loose paper, planner or any other category you think.

- Make a pile of everything you need for the day. (If you are doing this at home, make a pile of what you need for homework)

- Sort all loose papers by subject.  Use paper clips to separate them if you do not have folders (yet).  

- Papers that you do not need anymore and can be filed, put in the folders that the Advisor gave you. Label the folders “To Be Filed-J.S.” and “To Be Filed-G.S.”

- Put back all your books neatly.  We recommend size order so it’s easier to find items.

- If your backpack has many sections, decide which section will be for what.  

- Extra-curricular stuff- like music, i-pod, cellphone, balls etc. should be in a separate section.

     K= Keep it up.

    -  You should go through your backpack on a regular basis. We would like everyone to go through their bookbags every Sunday evening.  

This system is great for lockers and backpacks.

We also focused on the following issues when it came to the heavy backpack. As we talked through their answers, we provided tips they can implement: 

Heavy backpacks at school

1. What do you actually need in your backpack?

2. When you get off the bus or after davening, how do you decide what you will be putting in your bag?   Do you need to take everything with you? (We want them to come away with the idea that they should look at their schedules and see what they have either that morning OR 1st and 2nd period- as they have a break between 3rd and 4th. They should only put in the items they need for those periods. Anything they don’t need for those periods should be put in their lockers).

3. The times to go to my locker to remove things that I don’t need anymore and to put things in from my locker that I need are…

Heavy backpacks on the way home

4. Do you need to take EVERYTHING home?

5. How do you decide what you need to take home and what you can leave in your locker?

6. Do you ever take home things you don’t need? Why?

7. What should you be taking out when you get home and leaving at home?  What should you be doing with things you leave at home?

As we answered these questions together we focused upon a number of strategies. I want to highlight two:

1. We had them take out whatever they use to write down their homework- either a planner or using their  myhomework app on their iPad- which they were shown how to use.  Instead of just writing what they have for homework, they need to write “materials needed” next to the item. If they use a planner:  If it’s helpful, they can use a different color pen to write the materials down so it stands out.  At the end of the day, all they need to do is look at that list to take home.

If they use the app- they can add this information where it says “additional info.” as they are recording the homework. They will have to click each homework assignment to check the items needed to come home. Unfortunately, some students do not write down their homework and rely on Parent Locker, as they wait to check their homework at home. This method clearly forces students to bring everything they own home with them or causes them to forget something in school.

2. Every child received a shopping bag to keep in their lockers. As the day progresses, if they have an item that needs to be taken home, when they go to their lockers they are to put the item in that bag.  That way, when they go home they know all those items are to go home. Alternatively, we asked students to organize their lockers so items that need to go home are kept at the bottom of the locker and can just be “scooped up” at the end of the day.

In Bamidbar 11:14, Moshe turns to Hashem and says, “I am not able to carry all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.” At times, our middle schoolers are carrying a load that they feel is “too heavy” for them- literally and figuratively. We hope that some of the organizational skills we teach them will help lighten that burden they feel. More importantly, we hope they realize that they need not carry the burden “alone”- the adults in their lives, parents and teachers, are there to support them. 


Advisory Update
Sixth Grade- Students began their Organization Unit. Half the students focused on backpacks this week, while half focused on lockers.
Seventh Grade- On Monday we were visited by the clinical director of the Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center for the homeless. His presentation launched our next unity in Advisory – Operation Respect where students will be preparing and learning the skills necessary for our visit during Chanukah week. We will be focusing for the next month on the skills of empathy and the role we can play in supporting others.
Eighth Grade- As eighth graders gear up for their high school interviews, we focused on interview skills essential for life.

Teenagers Learn What They Live- From Whom?

Who do you think is your teen's most influential role model? In the spirit of the World Series, one might imagine it's athletes. Or perhaps media stars? (Today, that might include youtube stars etc. and not only television). Or maybe their peers? A Weekly Reader research study found that 67.7 percent of teens said their parents are the most influential role models in their lives. 40.6 percent said that teachers and coaches followed. Then, 40.4% said siblings were. Religious leaders, athletes and celebrities came in at 18.7%. There are numerous other studies, whose numbers vary somewhat, but overall parents come in first! (No pressure!!)

How do we fulfill this important role as role model? When I was child I remember there was poem hanging in my pediatrician, Dr. Neustein's, office. “Children Learn What They Live”- nothing more needs to be said:

Children Learn What They Live
By Dorothy Law Nolte

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

This poem was written by Dorothy Law Nolte who was a writer and therapist. This poem became a book as well. Years later she published another poem “Teenagers Learn What They Live- Parenting to Inspire Integrity & Independence.” I had never heard of it, until today.

Teeenagers Learn What They Live

If teenagers live with pressure, they learn to be stressed.

If teenagers live with failure, they learn to give up.

If teenagers live with rejection, they learn to feel lost.

If teenagers live with too many rules, they learn to get around them.

If teenagers live with too few rules, they learn to ignore the needs of others.

If teenagers live with broken promises, they learn to be disappointed.

If teenagers live with respect, they learn to honour others.

If teenagers live with trust, they learn to tell the truth.

If teenagers live with openness, they learn to discover themselves.

If teenagers live with natural consequences, they learn to be accountable.

If teenagers live with responsibility, they learn to be self-reliant.

If teenagers live with healthy habits, they learn to be kind to their bodies.

If teenagers live with support, they learn to feel good about themselves.

If teenagers live with creativity, they learn to share who they are.

If teenagers live with caring attention, they learn how to love.

If teenagers live with positive expectations, they learn to help build a better world.

As parents, we create the atmosphere in our homes where our teens live. We “learn them” each moment of each day, by the way we live our own lives. It's all about parenting by example. As adults, it often surprises us when we hear ourselves saying something to our teens and thinking, “Boy, I sound exactly like my mother!” As educators, when meeting a parent at parent-teacher conferences for the first time, before the parent introduces him/herself, we can often guess whose parent he/she is. The way our parents live seeps into our psyche, and often impacts on the way we live.

So, how do we fulfill this important role as role model? By simply living the way we want our children to live. This often means stopping our reactions in their tracks, reminding ourselves that we don't want our children to react that way. Often, it might mean forcing ourselves to get up and do something we are too tired to do, but we want our children to see us doing. Whether it's taking the time to daven on a busy day or cleaning up my own room when I have piles of work waiting for me- children learn what they live.

The sefer we are reading for parashat hashavua, Sefer Bereishit, is often called “Sefer Avot.” the book of our fathers. As, as the Ramban states, “Maaseh avot siman labanim,” “The deeds of the father is a sign for the children.” This sefer is full of events and stories that serve as models for us as their children.

There is, however, one other type of “role modeling” found in Sefer Bereishit, highlighted in the parasha we just read. The parasha starts with Hashem visiting Avraham. Why? He was recuperating from Brit Milah and Hashem was visiting the sick. This is one example given in the Gemara in Sotah 14a.

“Why does it say (Deut. 13: 5): “One should walk after God”? Is it possible to walk after the Shekhinah? Is He not like a consuming fire (ibid., 4:24)? Rather, it means that one should imitate His ways. As G-d clothed Adam and Chava (Bereishit 3:21), so should we clothe the naked; as He visited the ailing (Rashi, Bereishit18: 1), so should we visit the sick; as He comforted Isaac after Abraham’s death (Rashi, Bereishit 25: 11), so should we comfort mourners; as He buried Moses (Devarim 34:6), so should we care for the dignity of the dead. “

This Gemara stresses the importance of imitatio Dei – imitating Hashem. We are all children of Hashem. As parents, when we are faced with the stress of wondering how to be the role models for which are children are searching we have many sources to look to for inspiration. (Aside from reading lots of parenting books!) We have our our parents. We have our forefathers. And, we have our Father in Heaven. We have had first class teachers and need not worry about our qualifications.

Advisory Update:

Sixth Grade-

Students highlighted the important pieces of advice from last year's sixth graders that they think they will follow this year. They also had the chance to talk to their Advisors about how school is going for them.

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Seventh Grade-

Frost Valley was incredible!

Eighth Grade-

Students focused on the qualities that them unique and the importance of focusing on those qualities and not trying to be like everyone else. Aside from impacting on their view towards life in general, it is also an important topic to consider before going on high school interviews and answering the important question “What makes you unique?”

Back To The Future For Your Teen

This past Wednesday, October 21, 2015, was the day Marty McFly and Doc Brown traveled to in Back to the Future II in 1989. It was called Back To The Future Day. It seemed like any other day to me. Lots of rushing in the morning, going to work and then homework and bedtime. (With our amazing Open House in between!) But, the words, “Back To The Future” have more meaning as I consider two other important days in the past week- Sixth Grade and Eighth Grade Orientations.

As I looked out at the audience of parents  who were  joining us at the Sixth Grade Orientation or the Eighth Grade Orientation for the first time, I  saw  the same look  in their eyes, "Wasn't it just yesterday when we walked them into Pre-K orientation, tightly holding their hands- not wanting to let go?  Where did the time go?"   I often say that there are many similarities between toddlerhood and the years of early adolescence.  One commonality is that at these stages of life our children are asserting more independence and we are not always ready to let go.  Whether it is the first day on the bus in Kindergarten or  in sixth grade when we hand them off to nine teachers, whose names we can barely remember at first, we  worry how they will do without us.  For our eighth graders, there is nothing more worrisome than  "life after Yavneh."   We are leaving that which is comfortable to embark on an unfamiliar journey an unknown world. It is reminiscent of Avraham being commanded to leave all that is familiar to embark on an unknown journey. “ לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ"“ Get out from your country, and from your family, and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you” (Bereishit 12:1) How do we as parents let go and tell our children “lech lecha”- venture out on your own? How do we make sure they end up in the “right land”?

Dr. Jim Taylor states that there are two types of children- contingent and independent children. Contingent children depend on others for how they feel about themselves. They won't achieve without incentives. They depend on others for happiness. They often have no limits set for them. They tend to be poor decision makers, as parents never have discussions with them about what is best for them. Independent children, on the other hand, are intrinsically motivated. Their parents use incentives and rewards sparingly and appropriately. They have a “collaborative” relationship with their parents, rather than a “controlled” one. Independent children are good decision makers, as their opinions have always been valued. They make decisions with the support and guidance of their parents.

According to Taylor, how do we raise independent and not contingent children? Taylor stresses the importance of giving them responsibilities- by literally listing them. And, of course, there needs to be consequences for not fulfilling one's responsibilities. This sends them the messages that you are confident in their capabilities. They have control over their lives. Another important element is providing guidance and then giving them the freedom to make their own decisions.

Even if we raise “independent” teens, how do we know that they will do the right thing if we let go? On a most basic level, “How will he do his homework if I don't sit next to him each evening?” or “How can I send him off to camp knowing he'll make good decisions?”

Back to the future is the answer. In order to have a strong, and safe future, our teens need to be able to draw from their past- to go back. For those who have been reading my column for some time, you will recognize that this is my opportunity to bring up my favorite Gemara regarding Yoseph, Yaakov and parenting. When Yoseph was in the house of Potiphar, far from home and his family, he faced the difficult situation of the wife of Potiphar. The Gemara in Sotah 36b describes, “It was taught in the School of R. Ishmael: That day was their feast-day, and they had all gone to their idolatrous temple; but she had pretended to be ill because she thought, I shall not have an opportunity like to-day for Joseph to associate with me. And she caught him by his garment, saying etc^. At that moment his father's image came and appeared to him through the window and said: 'Joseph, your brothers will have their names inscribed upon the stones of the ephod and yours amongst theirs; is it your wish to have your name expunged from amongst theirs and be called an associate of harlots?' Immediately his bow abode in strength.”

Clearly Yoseph's father was far away in Canaan- how could he have seen the image of his father Yaakov in the window? That image of Yaakov that he saw was the voice in his head. Over and over he had heard his father say, “Good boys don't act that way. In our family, our values are...” And, of course, like any teenager, (Yoseph was just 17 when he went to Egypt), he said to his dad, “I know, I know- why do you keep on telling me the same thing?!” And, yet, Yaakov continued sending those messages. That is why, when faced with challenge to his morality, he heard that voice in his head.

So, when we have our frequent “talks” with our children they say to us, “I know, I know- enough already!” And, yet when they are faced with challenge, whether peer pressure to do the wrong thing or the temptation to engage in any at-risk behavior, or even the temptation to skip their homework, they will hear our voices in their head, and practically see our images before them reminding them of what they should do. They will always go back to what we told them.

In essence, even though Avraham left his birthplace, his son Yaakov returns there following the command of Hashem, “Return to your country, and to your family...” Yaakov was going back to his future. That is what we hope for our children. We want them to dig deep back into all the conversations relaying values we have had with them and the modeling we have lived for them. Only then will their independent futures lead them on a journey to the “land that we have shown them.”

Advisory Update:

Sixth Grade:

Through role-playing they continued learning of the skills of conversation do's and don'ts.

Seventh Grade:

Students learned about the importance of using “I” statements and not “You” statements in effective communication and teamwork.

Eighth Grade:

How to choose a high school, was the topic of this week's session. Students discussed what they are looking for in a high school and what they think they need for their own growth. 

Peer Pressure- Essential For Your Teen's Success In Life

            Peer pressure. We dare not even utter those words in the middle school years.  We know that peer pressure peaks during this age.  In this week's parasha Noach is held up as an example of he who resisted peer pressure, "Tamim haya b'dorotav" “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations” (Bereishit 6:9). In his generations? Why are those words added?  Despite the evil all around him, he was able to maintain his ability to do the right thing.  How?  Even at his birth, when his parents named him they said, “This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.” Noach was going to be special and be a comfort among all the evil.  Perhaps this symbolized that it was the influence of his parents which gave him the strength to resist.

 Or, as we know, the difference between Avraham and Noach was that Avraham sought out  to interact with others by spreading belief in G-d. In contrast, Noach primarily kept to himself.  That is one solution to peer pressure- just stay away from peers and keep to yourself.  Most teens (and parents of teens) would not want that way of life, as we know one's social life is essential at this stage of life.  

        What is the solution?  I maintain that perhaps we want our children to be more like Avraham than Noach- to surround oneself with peer pressure and use it for their self-development.  PEER PRESSURE IS GOOD.  (Shhh- don't tell anyone!)

        In the most basic and more obvious manner, we can use peer pressure and the intense social influence felt to encourage positive and appropriate behaviors. Teachers use positive peer pressure all the time to influence students, encouraging them to imitate the most studious and conscientious students. We call this in Hebrew, “Kinat sofrim” -envy of scholars. We want our children to aspire to imitate the positive behavior around them. That is why we send them to schools and camps where we know they will be surrounded by positive peer pressure.

  But, not only is positive peer pressure good for you. Peer pressure to do the wrong thing, may actually be good for you as well. In fact, studies indicate that teens who feel more of that peer pressure to do the wrong thing actually succeed better in life.  Professor Joe Allen, of University of Virginia, studied seventh graders and followed them every year for the next ten years.  He found that the ones who felt more peer pressure had "higher quality relationships with friends, parents and romantic partners."  He actually found that their need to fit in early adolescence later on manifested itself in the willingness to accommodate.  "The self-conscious kid who spent seventh grade convinced that everyone was watching her learned to be attuned to subtle changes in others' moods.  Years down the road, the heightened sensitivity led to empathy and social adeptness."  

        Dr.  Allen then demonstrated that the students who did not feel much peer pressure in seventh grade, within five years had a lower GPA.  Those children were also less engaged socially and academically.  Unmotivated by what those around them thought, these seventh graders also did not care much about what their parents and society wanted them to do.  Peers' influence can be an asset.  Peer pressure pulls students to do well in school, to not act childish and to become involved in athletics- all good things.  "We think of susceptibility to peer pressure as only a danger, but, really, it's out of peer pressure that boys learn to take showers and not come to school smelly," adds Dr. Allen.  

         The most important aspect of Dr. Allen's study was that the key is not pushing back against peer pressure by severing contact.  The key is maintaining autonomy when experiencing the pressure.  How do teens learn to resist the peer pressure of their friends? They learn this from their relationship with their parents.  Parents who raise their children to be connected to them and autonomous at the same time.  By allowing our teens to voice their opinions when they disagree- in a respectful way- they learn the skill of standing up for themselves.  The parent is ultimately in charge, but the child learns that he/she need not always give in without standing up for what he/she believes in.  "The kids who are really pushy and angry with their parents, they're still more hostile to their friends ten years later.  The kids who learn to negotiate with their parents- not just badger them, but truly negotiate- they could use those tactics with their peers and be effective at it.  So, when their friends say, 'Let's go back to the park and drink,' he suggests, 'How about we not...'" and provides a better suggestion.

It now makes sense that not all of our avot and imahot grew up in houses of tzaddikim. There is something about being exposed to peer pressure and resisting it that makes a person a leader and even more attached to their beliefs in G-d. I am not advocating that we send our children to live in homes of idol worshipers, as Avraham grew up. Nor, should we allow them to hang out with friends who are negative influences on them. We need to, however, raise them with the realistic understanding that they will face difficult peer pressure, and provide them with the skills they need to resist.

Advisory Update

Sixth Grade- This week they focused on the skills needed to have a good group discussion- essential for Advisory class and life!

Seventh Grade- They began their unit which prepares them with the skills they need for Frost Valley. This week, they looked at the skills needed for teamwork and the importance of communication skills.

Eighth Grade- Students discussed some good testing taking skills in light of their upcoming ACT- Aspire test.  

"How Was School Today?" Asking The Right Questions And Getting The Right Answers From Your Teen

This past Shabbat we read parashat Bereishit where Hashem models for us the parenting technique of questioning to elicit information.  First, with Adam Harishon He says, in Bereishit 3:9 “And the Lord God called to Adam, and said to him, Where are you?” "Ayeka?"  .  He clearly knows where Adam is.  Then He asks in pasuk 11, "And He said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree, which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Hashem clearly knows that Adam did eat,  and, yet, Hashem still asks him questions. Then with Kayin Hashem also asks a number of questions. First in 4:6, “And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? And why is your countenance fallen?” Hashem knew exactly why Kayin was upset. And, then after he kills his brother, Hashem asks Kayin in pasuk 9, “And the Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother?" Hashem knew exactly where Hevel was and what Kayin had done to him, and yet He still asks.  And, even after Kayin refuses to admit Hashem asks him another question in pasuk 10, “And He said, What have you done?”

On the most basic level, Hashem wanted to give them the opportunity to "fess up" and admit their wrongdoing.  Clearly, neither rises to the occasion.  As parents, it does model for us the importance of rather than running to accuse, to give the child the chance to express what he thinks he did wrong and why he did it.  The moment we enter a situation with accusations, teens shut down and are not willing to cooperate. When we as parents engage in a conversation where we do not give them the chance to offer an explanation or admission, we send the message that we aren't really interested in what they have to say, so they might as well shut down.  Yes, Hashem was clearly angry as Adam violated the only commandment he had, and Kayin committed the first murder.  He knew exactly what it is like to have your child openly disobey and then even lie about it.  However, Hashem was able to restrain His understandable anger to send the message to His "children" that they can repair what they have done if they are honest and upfront.  And, in fact, Hashem says directly to Kayin, “If you do well, shall you not be accepted?” You can do better and improve.

When children are young, they spend the day asking questions of us, “Why is the sky blue?” “How does electricity work?” As they get older, they stop asking us questions, and seek answers from the experts... their friends and the internet. But, there are so many questions that we still need to ask them.

"How was your day?"  we ask as our children get off the bus at the end of the day. “What happened at the party?” The only way we can get information is by asking, as they don't  offer details in a forthcoming way and as they get older, we get increasingly less and less information. "Fine," "Okay" or sometimes "Horrible" are the more standard responses.   How do we get more from our teens? 

There are some ground rules:

1. Make it clear that you value what they have to say. There's no point in their sharing if you don't value their opinions. Make it a practice to ask their opinions.
2. Comment on things they do right, not just on what they do wrong!
3. Begin with listening. Don't comment at first. Just listen. All distractions away.
4. Ask questions that help them explore further what they think, rather than stating what you think.
5. Make sure to be available the times of day that your child is most “available” for chatting. (For mine, it's always when I'm exhausted and have no patience left! But, I've learned to smile through it and keep my eyes open!)
6. Ask open-ended questions instead of yes or no questions.
7. Be specific. Instead of “Did you like school today?” ask “What was the best thing you did today?”  

In an article “28 Ways To Ask Your Teen 'How Was School Today?' Without Asking Them 'How Was School Today?” Liz Evans presents some creative ways of eliciting information from your teen. Some might fit your teen:

1. Where in the school do you hang out the most? (Like a particular hall, classroom, parking lot, etc.) Where in the school do you never hang out?

2. What would your school be better with? What would your school be better without?

3. If you were a teacher, what class would you teach? Which class would be the worst to teach? Why?

4. What was the coolest (saddest, funniest, scariest) thing that you saw today?

5. Tell me one thing that you learned today.

6. If your day at school today was a movie, what movie would it be?

7. Besides walking to their next classes, what else do people do in the halls in between classes?

8. Who do you think you could be nicer to?

9. Which is your easiest class? Which is your hardest class? OR Which class are you learning the most in? Which class are you learning the least in?

10. If they played music in the halls at school, what would everyone want them to play over the loudspeaker?

11. If you could read minds, which teacher's mind would you read? Which classmate's mind would you read? Whose mind would you NOT want to read?

12. If today had a theme song, what would it be?

13. Which class has your favorite group of students in it? Which class has the worst group of students?

14. What do you think you should do more of at school? What do you think you should do less of?

15. What are the top three (or five) things that you hear people say in the halls?

16. What do you think the most important part of school is?

17. Tell me one question that you had today, even if it wasn't answered... actually, especially if it wasn't answered...

18. Which class has the most cute boys/girls in it?

19. If an alien spaceship landed at your school, who would you like them to beam aboard and take back to their home planet?

20. Who did you help today? Who helped you today?

21. If you could be invisible for the day at school, what would you do?

22. What part of the day do you look forward to? What part of the day do you dread?

23. What would you change about school lunch?

24. Which classmate is most likely to be arrested, made president, become a millionaire, be in movies, let loose a flock of wild chickens in the library, etc.?

25. If you had to go to only one class every day, which class would it be?

26. Tell me one thing you read at school today.

27. If your day at school was an emoticon, which one would it be?

28. What do you think your teachers talked about in the faculty room today after school?

Most importantly, we can never give up asking questions, even though they may not answer in these middle school years. We thereby send the message that we are always there and ready for them and waiting for when they are ready to answer.

Advisory Update:

Sixth Grade-

Sixth graders began Advisory this week. They got to know each other and their Advisors, beginning to form cohesive groups.

Seventh Grade-

Seventh graders were introduced to the “mission” of seventh grade Advisory “Prepare Yourself To Change The World.” They discussed how even they as teens can a make a difference in the world around them.

Eighth Grade-

Eighth graders were introduced to the theme of this year's Advisory- “Preparing For Life After Yavneh” - skills they will need to succeed in high school and life beyond. They viewed interviews of graduates who expressed some of the challenges of 8^th grade and applying to high school.

Yom Kippur, Sandy Koufax and Teaching Our Teens To "Sit It Out"

As a daughter of a pulpit rabbi, with the coming of the Yamim Noraim, my antennae often picks up on a “sermonable” topic.  This Yom Kippur, I believe I have found the sermon- one that would apply to the observant and non-observant alike.   Many rabbis across the country will be speaking of the fiftieth anniversary of Sandy Koufax's famous  refusal to play in the world series on Yom Kippur.  Though not observant, Mr. Koufax was a source of pride for the Jewish community and gave Americans the ability to be “ more publicly assertive and to be less ashamed of their Jewishness. The decision of Koufax to do the Jewish thing so publicly and in such a quintessential American setting as the World Series pumped a new confidence into that generation of American Jews.” (The Jewish Week, “Where Have You Gone Sandy”).  

Unlike in the 60's, the issue of Jewish pride is not one with which our children struggle.  In Bergen County, our children walk the streets with kippot without a second thought.  They go to college and do not hesitate to approach their professors and tell them they will will be off for Yom Kippur.  The Sandy Koufax decision, I believe, can mean something different to our children.

On the pasuk in Vayikra 20:26 Rashi explains the words of Hashem to Bnai Yisrael, “And I have separated you from other people, that you should be mine.”  There he states, “Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya says, 'From where do we know that a person should not say, 'I am disgusted with pig meat, or it is impossible for me to wear mixed kinds (kilayim)'?  But rather he should say, 'I can, but what can I do, that my Father in Heave has decreed upon me that I may not.'”  Rather than say, “Pig meat is disgusting,” one should say, “I want to eat pork. It looks so delicious. I even crave it, but I am not allowed to eat it.”  A story is told of Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky that near his yeshiva was a non- kosher pizza store.  When walking past the store one day with his students, he stopped, “took a deep whiff and said Ah! It smells so delicious!”  I desire it, but I will overcome my desire in order to keep laws of the Torah.  (In essence, mitzvot like kashrut help train us to overcome our desires and not succumb to them).

Did Sandy Koufax want to play?  I imagine, yes.  But, what could he do,  his “Father in Heaven decreed upon him that he may not.”  

The Sandy Koufax story reinforces the important lesson for all Jews that the Torah has limits and part of being Jewish is realizing that we are lucky to be able to abide by those limits. How do we relay that to our teens? That topic can fill many blogs unto itself.  

For today, I want to focus on another lesson in the Sandy Koufax story. It is a lesson in “delayed gratification”- the ability to put off the receipt of a reward in order to gain a better reward later.  In essence, this entails overcoming one's desire right now realizing that one will benefit in the future.  In this generation of instant gratification- smartphones, googling etc, our children have a harder time saying to themselves, “I want this, but I need to overcome my desire in the present.”   Self- control is integral to this ability.

The famous marshmallow experiment done in the 1960's and 70's by the Stanford University psychologist Walter Mischel demonstrated the importance of being able to delay gratification.  Six hundred and fifty young children were offered a marshmallow and were told they could either eat it immediately or wait some time and get a second treat.  Years later, in follow up studies, those who could delay gratification were more “competent” and successful in life. Dr. Grazyna Kochanska, followed 300 children for almost twenty years to see how delaying gratificaiton and self- control impacting their lives. She found,  "Those who have good self-control are more compliant, more cooperative, have good harmonious relationships with their parents, good relationships with their peers, and they have good academic success."

This is the key to passing over the temptation of sin for the long-term reward on high.  Why is that task so difficult for some and easier for others?

In an article, “Why Some Delay Gratification While Others Give In?” by Janice Wood,  scientific research provides one strategy to better delay of gratification which is called  "'prospection,' the process by which people can project themselves into the future, by mentally simulating future events.  They can thereby imagine the future benefit.  This 'mental time travel,' also known as 'episodic future thought',  enables humans to make choices with high long-term benefits.”  This research was done with dieters, and clearly the participants who could imagine themselves shedding the weight were better able to resist the food.

Unfortunately, as parents of teens we know that the prefrontal cortex, responsible for future thinking and considering consequences, is still developing.  Teens therefore have a difficult time thinking about the future consequence of their behavior now.   “I want it, but what can I do, my Father in Heaven decreed I cannot have it” is a very difficult task for them.  

With the advent of technology, it has become even more difficult.  Annie Murphy Paul, in "The New Marshmallow Test: Resisting Temptations of the Web," writes of professor Larry Rosen who “asked students to ‘study something important,’ and then he chronicled incidents of distraction. After about two minutes, students' ‘on-task behavior’ declined as they began responding to arriving texts or checking their Facebook feeds. After only 15 minutes, they had spent only about 65 percent of the period doing their schoolwork. ‘We were amazed at how frequently they multi-tasked, even though they knew someone was watching,’ Rosen says. ‘It really seems that they could not go for 15 minutes without engaging their devices,’ adding, ‘It was kind of scary, actually.’  When sending students texts during another study, while watching a video of a lecture, students who delayed responding until after the lecture was over scored significantly better.

Rabbi Shais Taub, in his article, "Why Sandy Koufax Sat Out The World Series on Yom Kippur" shared that Rabbi  Moshe Feller  "visited Koufax in his hotel room on the day after Yom Kippur and told him, 'Sandy, more Jews knew when Yom Kippur was this year because of you not pitching than knew from a Jewish calendar!' I will go a step further and say that more people knew that it was Yom Kippur because Sandy Koufax didn't announce it and didn't pitch than would have known if he did announce it and did pitch. You see, because it's all in the not-doing, not in the doing. 

As counterintuitive as it may seem, the power of not-doing possesses a purity and a truth that doing cannot rival...Giving is easy. Doing is easy. Movement is easy. What's difficult is stopping." Rabbi Taub adds that in this age of information overload, we are constantly doing.

That is the importance of delaying gratification, self- control and simply stopping oneself from doing.  Yom Kippur is a day of refraining from the five "afflictions."  Sometimes we  need to hold ourselves back to focus on what is truly important. 

What can we as parents do to help our teens develop this self-control?  How can they achieve their “Sandy Koufax moment?”

. As parents we can

1. Starting from a young age make our children wait, take turns and not give in to their kvetching for something. We help them tolerate frustration.
2. We can encourage them to get involved in activities that don’t have immediate results but require practice
3. We need to model patience and ability to not give in to one’s desires.
4. We can ask our children to stop and think about the future.  
5. We can reward children for self- control.

As we approach Yom Kippur and contemplate how to make this year one of growth, let us reconsider the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya,”I can, but what can I do, that my Father in Heaven has decreed upon me that I may not.”  Notice that he called G-d “Father in Heaven.”  That is the job of the parent who truly loves his/her child- to set limits, to say that you can’t have everything you want whenever you want it, and you need to learn self- control.  It is with love that Hashem has given us the Torah to help us attain the essential skill for life of delaying gratification.  So, too, with love may we help our own children achieve the same so that they may say, “I can, but what can I do, that my Father in Heaven and my parents on earth, have decreed upon me that I may not”- and may they realize that it is for their own good.