I spoke to the principal.
She explained that in a world of marketing where everything is cutting edge and glitzy and glamorous, we cannot expect our kids to connect with or feel an affinity to those things which do not fall into that category.
She said the key is to do it, but to do it as low key as possible. If you give something out that gives a sense of pride and that's how you achieve it then good.
If we are going to try to teach the kids to reject the outside world which has crept into our lives in unprecedented ways that we need to be as "cool" as that world. We can't let the lack of outer trappings, that many of our kids are enthralled with be "nebby." One example given was that our kids would not wear the same Shabbos clothes that we did, they would not be happy with them.
Now, I don't fully agree with what she said, but she's more on the inside,dealing with lots of kids, not just mine. She wants to "win the war not the battle."
It makes me sad that we've lost the battle and our kids need the bells and whistles to be excited about things.
3 comments:
Rejecting the "outside world" doesn't extend to rejection of basic human wants such as ease, comfort and a full belly. Self flagellation and rolling in the snow are specifically rejected by our religious leaders.
What we are trying to instill in our children is the repudiation of our national celebrities' meaningless lifestyle; steeped in alcohol, drugs and carnal pleasures.
We are not trying to impose a monastical lifestyle on them.
A toothbrush is used as advertising by a dentist, so they can deduct the cost of the brush from income. They don't usually mind.
Someone is teaching your daughter and her friend basic business sense
The teachers and the rest of the female staff, especially the younger staff, are often as enthralled with material goods as the girls. They'd be just as thrilled to get a "goody bag" as the kids.
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