Educator Shifra Miriam Erlich gives workshops, in which she trains parents to teach kids to bounce back from difficulties, and turn lemons into lemonade
Fifteen years ago, when Shifra Miriam Erlich was a first-grade teacher in Boro Park, she began to notice a trend: Too many of her students were having “allergic reactions” to life —they couldn’t handle when things went wrong. The kids would melt down if they weren’t chosen for something or if the homework was too hard.
Reaching out to parents about the issue, Shifra Miriam encountered the same helplessness she saw in the classroom: the parents themselves felt overwhelmed or distraught when their child faced a challenge, be it academic or social. That’s when Shifra Miriam realized that teaching resilience to her students would only go so far — she had to work with the parents, too.
Her chinuch workshops for mothers and teachers (with specific training in anxiety and self-esteem for children and teens) have been such a success that today she’s certified and employed by the Board of Education, working as a professional development coach in the local frum schools.
“If Hashem wanted life to be smooth, He could make it that way,” Shifra Miriam emphasizes in her workshops. “But He wants it to be challenging so there’s opportunity for growth. If everything were perfect, our children would never have to exert any energy and learn about this thing called ‘life.’ ”
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