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The Jewish Community Center of Metropo 'tan Detroit

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400 classes

,Tender Mercies

M

y 6-almost-7-year-old
daughter, Adina, is a won-
derfully social girl. She
loves being with other children, has
many pals and makes friends quickly.
She especially enjoys going places,
doing special activities, with her
friends, and I try to accommodate her
as often as possible. We go to the
zoo and to Discovery Zone;
or we take a walk to the park
and then slop at the drugstore
for ice cream and a treat.
Recently I took Adina and
her friend, Ruthie, to Marvin's
Marvelous Mechanical Muse-
um. My children would live
there if they could. What a
strange and wonderful place — so'
da77ling you can almost feel the
amazing array of colors and sounds;_
it leaves you dizzy.
Usually, Adina heads first for the
games. But this time she wanted her
picture taken with Ruthie. I came pre-
pared, my pockets filled with S 15
worth of quarters, and I quickly
brought out the necessary change.
It took awhile for Adina and Ruthie
to find their place on the small stool,
the kind that spins up — a shaky and
crude spin, but eventually it goes high
enough so that your eyes are aligned
with the camera. Four quick flashes
and your photos are ready in two
minutes. I loved them when I was a
girl, too.
As we all worked to raise the seat
to the proper height, Adina bumped
her arm quite hard and began to cry.
I bent down to hold her, and I kissed
the bruised spot. I was whispering
motherly words of consolation when I
saw that Ruthie had jumped down
from the stool and was now beside
Adina. She reached over and gently
put her arms around my daughter.
The three of us stood there for a
moment, Ruthie and I holding Adina,
forming a kind of fortress, protecting

and comforting. Then Adina wiped
away her tears and both girls started
to giggle and we all moved on.
That evening, trying to recount the
story to my husband, I found myself
struggling for words to describe
Ruthie's gesture. I spend a great deal
of time watching children, and this
spontaneous hug was extraordinary.
Ruthie's mother tells me her daughter
is like that, sensitive and
affectionate. But I give a
tremendous amount of credit
to the parents.
Perhaps these are innate
qualities in some boys and
girls, but I'm from the school
of thought that children
behave the way they are taught and
treated at home. My guess is that
Ruthie's parents have spoken to her
about how we respond when some-
one is hurting and have been quick to
hold her and hug her whenever (even
if it's the 80th time that day) she
needs help.
Children are always in the process
of learning, and every moment is an
opportunity to teach. If you want your
children to have good manners, con-
stantly remind them to say, "You're
welcome," and always say "Yes,
please" and "No, thank you" to them,

as well.
And if you want them to be loving
like Ruthie, never hesitate to explain to
them how to help. Perhaps children
are indeed born with a compassion-
•
ate heart, but what good is it if it
does not know how to work?

for your
The . JCC offers over
children, taught by the community's most
talented instructors. Check out the JCC's
diverse selection at our two convenient locations.

• Karate • Swimming

• Gymnastics • Basketball .

• Baseball • Flag Football

• Theatre • Rollerhockey

• Arts • Ceramics • Dance

• Tennis • Rollerblading

• Personal Training • Soccer

• Parent/Toddler • Kindermusik

• Weight Training • Computer Tots

For a complete Winter II Catalogue of class offerings, please call
(248) 661-1000 in West Bloomfield or (248) 967-4030 in Oak Park.

* Professional instructions
* Classes for all skill levels -
beginner to expert
* Special program for the younger
skiers (ages 6-9)
* Small classes
* Adult classes too!
Charter buses Saturday & Sunday

vt etileifvu

Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor

You can reach Elizabeth Applebaum
at philapple@earthlink.net or
c/o The Jewish News, 27676
Franklin, Southfield, MI 48034 or at
(248) 354-6060, ext. 308.

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