Tips to ease the transition from summer to school

WITH THE LEISURE TIME of summer ending as we head into the fall months, our children might begin to feel anxious about the schedules and pressure of going back to school.

I taught parenting skills decades ago when I was an elementary-school guidance counselor. Some of the key points I stressed are that parents should help children make decisions and understand the consequences of their actions. Here are some steps that helped me as a parent when I was raising my daughter:

• We talked about feelings.

• I listened.

• We discussed why certain decisions were made.

• I followed “say yes to the person, no to the situation.” This means respecting the child and letting them know that they are valued, while saying no to specific situations or behaviors.

Sharon Duke Estroff, an internationally syndicated Jewish parenting columnist, wrote an article for aish.com titled “Back to School Sanity,” in which she emphasizes the importance of study as well as downtime. She wrote:

“ ‘Six days shall you labor and do all your work’ reads the Book of Exodus, ‘and the seventh day is the Sabbath to the Lord your God [on which] you shall not do any work.’

“Our kids desperately need a time to recharge and refuel. And in Shabbat, they have it.”

Another point that Estroff makes is about the joy of learning for its own sake.

“The Mishnah states that Torah should be studied lishmah, for its own sake. In other words, we shouldn’t learn Torah with ulterior motives (i.e. getting on God’s A-list or wowing others with our biblical mastery). Rather, we should release ourselves to the beauty and majesty of the text – enjoying it in its own right.”

When we approach learning with curiosity, we are motivated learners.

It enriches our life and expands our horizons.

As the school year begins, we can talk to our children and teens about what excites them, what subjects they really enjoy and how they can hone their skills in that area.

As for the subjects that they don’t like or excel at, that is also a learning experience that can instill confidence – if they can accept the challenge and grow from it.

A confidence-building example from my own life was mastering computer skills and technology, which is essential in my media and training work. This is one of my greatest accomplishments because it didn’t come naturally to me, but I have stuck with it. Now, I even try to figure out things on my own before asking for help!

School can be both a learning experience and a personal growth experience, and if we can help our children understand that, we can help them be happier learners.

PATRICIA RASKIN , owner of Raskin Resources Productions, is an awardwinning radio producer, business owner and leader. She is on the board of directors of Temple Emanu-El, in Providence, and is a recipient of the Providence Business News 2020 Leaders and Achievers award. Her “Positive Aging with Patricia Raskin” podcast is broadcast on the Rhode Island PBS website, ripbs.org/positiveaging.

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Secure Community Network: “This sentence sends a message to violent extremists, terrorists and antisemites everywhere that the United States will not tolerate hate and violence against the Jewish people, nor any people of faith. Though nothing will replace those taken from us nor ever fully assuage the grief that continues, this sentence is another step on the path to justice… While this event may have stretched the will and spirit of the Jewish community, it never broke it – nor will any act of hate or violence.”

Squirrel Hill Stands Against Gun Violence: “The jury today issued its final verdict, ensuring that the perpetrator of the deadliest act of antisemitic violence in American history will never walk free. We thank the many participants in the judicial process, including the jurors, Judge Colville and his staff, the prosecutors and other Justice Department employees who worked long and hard to bring us to this day. We are also grateful to the law enforcement officers who put themselves in harm’s way on October 27, 2018, and saved many lives. And we remember the 11 people murdered that day because they were Jews and because of the easy accessibility of guns in our state and nation.”

Alan Hausman, Tree of Life Congregation: “I am thankful for the thoughtful deliberation and hard work of all who got us to today’s decision. Nothing about this process has been easy. I will forever be grateful for all those who have helped our congregation these past fourplus years: the public safety department and law enforcement officers, our fellow Pittsburghers, and people of all faiths and backgrounds from across the country and around the world. While today’s decision is hard, it also marks the start of a new chapter at Tree of Life, and I find myself hopeful because of the love and support we still receive as we continue to heal and move forward.”

Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, Tree of Life Congregation: “Today’s decision and the pending sentences on the non-capital crimes mark the closing chapter of an emotional, months-long trial. In the years we have spent waiting for this trial to take place, many of us have been stuck in neutral. It was a challenge to move forward with the looming specter of a murder trial. Now that the trial is nearly over and the jury has recommended a death sentence, it is my hope that we can begin to heal and move forward. As we do, I have my faith, bolstered by the embrace and respect with which my community has been treated by our government and our fellow citizens. For this and the seriousness with which the jury took its duty, I remain forever grateful.”