Our Messy Drawer Children 

There are few things more embarrassing to me than someone opening up “my messy drawer”.  I wish I could invent a custom lock on the kitchen drawer-  so it can never be opened when a guest is in the house. Especially, when the guest happens to be a neighbor who loves organizing. Or a parent whose house is always immaculate.  

No matter how many times I have the pleasure of dumping old and used markers, somehow a few weeks later, the messy drawer is filled again with capless, dried out markers and a whole lot more. 

Comes to think of it, I’m laughing as I’m typing this: we should have a contest and compare our messy drawers! The messier - the winner! 🎉 

(Really, just to make the “losers” of the contest feel good about ourselves…)

In September, I wrote about the excitement, the love and security of a new supply box. In June, I am writing about the excitement of dumping those supplies. 

Totally Appropriate. 

_____

Now, stop for a minute and just imagine you are a Messy Drawer! 

Many of us have children, who especially now at the end of the year, represent our opened Messy Drawers. Their shoes are filthy, their knapsacks have that smell that you can’t get rid of, their folders are all out of place, they need haircuts, they smell like the outdoors, their homework has stopped since after Pesach, the teacher phone calls have started to come in because they are too antsy in class, they’re hard to get up and out in the morning, and they are constantly thinking of creative excuses to miss school. 

And sometimes the Messy Drawer Children represent our closed and locked Messy Drawer. Everything looks clean and organized and perfect on the outside, but inside they are a mess. They are internally hurting. They are anxious, they are fearful. They are suffering. Especially now at the end of the year, they perhaps do not feel good about how this year went. Or maybe they do not feel loved and appreciated enough by their parents, their teachers, and their friends. 

These children are walking Messy Drawers. And this is what they want to tell the us:  

“HELP ME! Love me. Organize me! Teach me skills… be compassionate, I’m overwhelmed. I feel like a mess. I feel so exposed.” 

OR, “I feel hidden and unseen. I feel like a fake, like a failure. I’m scared about something going on in my life. I don’t think I did well this year. I’m in pain. Look into my eyes, I’m a mess inside.”

Both want to scream: “Love me anyway, help me please, help me survive. Don’t give up on me. Especially at the end of the year.” 

Parents and Teachers: there are only a few weeks left to this school year. We need to identify and help our Messy Drawer Children.  We need to set them up for success. To end off the year on a high note, for this summer and way beyond. 

How? Engage with them. On a deeper level. Find out how our children and students feel as we begin to wrap up the year. Make sure they feel good about the school year.  Maybe give out feedback forms. (BTW, I’m very into that - especially teachers getting feedback from students about how they fared as a teacher. I think it’s incredibly eye opening and an amazing opportunity to learn about yourself as a teacher, even if the forms are anonymous). 

In just a few weeks, we will be moving on from this year's school supplies and bringing out the goggles and suntan lotion, and our messy drawers, and hopefully our Messy Drawer Children too can have a fresh start for the summer. 

I’m not sure who is more excited: the teachers, the parents or the children. 

LET’S GET READY FOR CAMP! 

❤️, Shifi 

Mrs. Debbie Selengut and I are incredibly humbled and excited about the feedback we have gotten from our podcast:

LET’S GET CANDID ABOUT CAMP! 

Sign Up and Listen Today! Free 😊

P.S. If you haven’t yet - sign up for Mrs. Selengut’s monthly newsletter! www.DebbieSelengut.com

Let’s Get Candid About Camp!

Side Note: I have gotten an overwhelming amount of calls recently from parents worried about their child’s Anxiety. Some children have physical symptoms. Some children are refusing school. Some children have progressed into a more depressive state. Some children’s social lives are being totally effected by their anxiety. 

Please Parents. I beg you. Knowledge is power. You can help your child by understanding the basics of anxiety! 

I’ve created ANXIETY MADE SIMPLE. AS A RESOURCE. 

It is one way for you to effectively help your children learn the skills they need. With a few short weeks away from camp, please make sure they are prepared! 

ANXIETY MADE SIMPLE.