The Zionists Organization of America

EdItoR's NoTe

presents:

"Religious Zealotry
in Israel:
Myths and Facts"

With Noted Political Commentator Rabbi Steven Weil
of Young Israel, Oak Park

Thursday, November 20, 1997
7:30 P.M.

Zionists Cultural Center
18451 W. 10 Mile Road
(just west of Southfield Road)
Southfield, MI

There is no charge for this program.

Refreshments will be served.

Call (248) 569-1515 for further information.

EXTRA!!!

044 it—

/daft free firtfig
The Detroit News

DMA!!!

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benefitting

Children's Home of Detroit

in the

Detroit free VrecisS

and

The Detroit News

Thursday, November 6

ts • and much, much more!

rest's Route of Detroit

'

Wren and their families since 1836

11/7

1997

68

a ion call (313) 886-0800 extension 20

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'though I'm from Kansas City,
home of Hallmark Cards, for
the most part I loathe senti-
mental or pithy statements.
Yes, I know that today is the first
day of the rest of my life, and I'm not
going to walk ahead of anyone
because he may not follow, nor will I
walk behind anyone because she
may not lead; I'll just walk beside
them and be their friend — unless, of
course, they listen to Barry Manilow,
in which case I don't even want
to be in the same room with
them.
But at my desk I have a little
saying that I love. It's by Victor
Hugo and it says:
Be like the bird, who
Halting in his flight
On limb too slight
Feels it give way beneath him,
Yet sings
Knowing he hath wings.
"Ah, yes," I said the minute I read
it. That's what I want for my children.
Like every other parent I know, I
hear it at least 100 times each day:
"Watch me, Mommy!" "Look at me,
Mommy!" "Are you watching me,
Mommy?" "How did I do, Mommy?"
Responding can be one of my
greatest challenges, because invari-
ably one of these comes at a difficult
moment.
"Look at me do hopscotch,
Mommy!" Adina will suddenly call
out as the news is blaring and I'm
nursing the baby and Yitz wants me
to read him o book now and the
monotone-voiced woman on the
phone is telling me why I really can't
pass up this opportunity for another
credit card and I'm so thirsty I'm even
ready to take some of that leftover
orange soda (I don't like orange
soda) that has been sitting for the
past six hours on the kitchen table.
But I hate to be ignored myself,
and I make it a point to respond:
"Good job, Adina."
"Really, Mommy? Do I really do
hopscotch okay?"
"You do it more than okay," I say.
"You're great."

In these young years, my children
form opinions about themselves that
will last a lifetime. Are they pretty or
handsome, smart, creative, thought-
ful, clever, funny, brave? Yes, my
dear children. All that and more.
It is a fierce world out there. One
of the best ways we can prepare our
children to meet its challenges is by
teaching them self-confidence,
courage and hope. And one of the
easiest ways to do that is simply to

respond to their unending cries of
"Watch me!"
It can be tiring, I know, to see the
3,000th performance of a child's self-
choreographed ballet, or watch her
play hopscotch for the 2000th time.
But in that small moment of attentive-
ness we help our child grow strong,
and with that strength she will fly,
dancing through the leaves among
the golden trees, soaring sharp as
fire through the sky. ❑

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she

Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor

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