There is nothing more magical than Erez Israel. ( the land of Israel) Tonight we stood and watched a city unite on the eve of Yom Yerushalayim ( Jerusalem Day) . We walk the streets in pride, waving the Israeli flags and sining about a country that means so much has given so much.


There is nothing more magical than watching your child flourish amongst crowds. Become a boy who understands, is intrigued and excited and who I honestly believe felt the pride all other Yerushalmi's (people of Jerusalem) did today!  


Noam asked me to 'walk with the people'..... He told me he wanted a flag.... And as he watched the tractors drive by he waved, said shalom and talked about the tractor he went on with his cousin Motty to see the 'SHEEP'....


This is a boy who's world has been opened up not only to language but to everything it has to offer. I realised today as I walked with Noam that he is no longer a passive member of society but an active one! 

 As we come the the middle of the last week at the institute my fear of leaving this amazing place, it's inspirational people and the support is becoming a reality! Noam and I have learnt so much in five short weeks. 

( OKAY they may have been long one's)  I have been given the tools to take Noam anywhere in this world he wants to go. I can only hope that together as a team back in Melbourne I will be supported to continue this Journey the 'Feuerstein way'

When I come home and Noam sleeps i have been reading a lot on this theory that has intrigued me so much. Today i came across a piece of writing that just put it all together for me. 

' THE STUDENT IS OFTEN TREATED AS AN EMPTY VESSEL INTO WHICH KNOWLEDGE MUST BE POURED'

(my husband being a librarian  I should probably quote that properly but that would mean having to go back through my papers... another time maybe) 

I could probably try and summarise what this means for you but I think i may just put the link to the site I have been reading and if you are interested have a read! ESPECIALLY people out there who have children!

Just to clarify.. the child is often and just shouldn't be! When mediating it's also about changing yourself for the child,  looking at the individual child, setting the environment for the individual child and 'stimuli' - looking at what will motivate the individual child and using that knowledge to extend learning!

(hope that makes sense)

So you would like to know how all this learning and mediation has helped Noam? well let me tell you.
Tonight we had to take Noam to the doctor! A suspected ear infection diagnosed by myself! Noam HATES doctors and never ever cooperates. As expected when she went to check his ear he carried on, screamed no no no and wouldn't let her look! I asked him to listen to me and I asked him if his ear was sore? he said yes! I basically explained to him that 'if you want it to feel better then you need to let her look so she can give you some medicine!' He said NO! I asked him if he wanted to go home and see daddy and Mika and Shuly in a week? He said YES! so I explained ' We need to check your ear so we can give you medicine, otherwise you can't go on a plane home to see them! he said OKAY! he sat and let the doctor look. He then said THANK YOU! So now I think I can say this trip is really going to change our lives!

Thank you!

I almost forgot to add that on the way home from the institute today Noam spoke to me! He said - MUMMY play Chana and shira, Leah and Shmuel! 'Shmuel Noam friend' He said! !!!!
unfortunately  I couldn't stop crying (tears of pride) so I found it hard to talk back!! LOVE THAT KID!

When things get tough you generally feel like packing it in! Well that's how I felt at the beginning of this week! Really I did, you can ask the girls at the institute, you can ask my husband who I sobbed too and you can even ask my mum and dad who for no reason I got angry at! Most of all you can ask NOAM! To whom I really cried too. It seems like he listen as today he had a truly amassing day! Lots of great talking, lots of great sequencing, planning and co operating! And yes today not only did he eat chicken, he also ate mashed potato! ( i know i am getting carried away with the eating chat but really guys, it is AMAZING as this is a kids who just never eats anything!

What Have I learnt so far? I ask myself this question every day. The answer is simple! The more you expect the more you get! The more you talk the more he understands. The more you mediate the more chance he has of reciprocating through language play and motivation. Most of all I have learnt that Noam needs to treated like he is 5 years old!!!!

Here are some pics of what Noam did today! Tomorrow I will explain in a little more detail how and why!

I DID IT!!!

I wasn't going to blog today! But here I am. I felt like I didn't really have much to say and didn't want to bore anyone with words of nothing. I am so tired that i am finding it hard to fall asleep. My mind is full of endless thoughts. The trip is coming to an end with only 7 Days left at the institute! where to go from here and how am I going to get him there? If you have a chat with Naish I think he would agree that my mind is in overload... I have been emailing home with instructions to make appointments  for when we get home and there are even some that he doesn't know I have made! I am so excited for the future and determined to give Noam even more!

The past two days were hard. Noam regressed a little in behaviour and was struggling a little to cope with the demands on him. I was struggling to cope with the demands on me! Lucky for us we are surrounded by a support network of amazing individuals who lets just say 'saved the day'. It was time for a quotes and the quote of the day had to be 'ROME WASN'T BUIL IN A DAY'. No it wasn't and although tacky is was the perfect thing for someone to say to me!

Noam has come so far... It is only natural that he regresses a little. I see it as 10 steps forward 2 steps back 20 steps forward 1 step back!  His anger and frustration in the past seemed to be for no reason! It seems that now Noam's ability to understand this world around him together with his desire to be surrounded by a world of language has refocused his anger to 'real' frustration in not being able to 'talk' and use language as a tool of communication. He is trying so hard and in time  I am sure in will succeed!

Today he ate a PLATE of schnitzel! WOW

I have a story to tell!

Considering everything Noam has been through in the past few weeks he has really been amazing! One thing is for sure that I now know that i didn't really prepare him enough for this Journey. In preparing him i mean that I didn't really talk to him about what where we were going. I didn't explain to him why or how, and most importantly I didn't ask him how he felt about it!

As I have discussed in earlier posts the institute has taught me the importance of mediation. Mediation through play and interaction. Today Noam had a so so day! To be totally honest so did I. By the time it came to 6.30pm he was so worked up and angry that I couldn't calm him down to put him to bed. I managed after 15 minutes to get him to lie down. I lay down next to him and patted his head! I began to talk to him like I never have before. It went a little something like this.

ME - "Noam I feel like you are angry, are you angry with Mummy? 
NOAM -he looked me straight in the eye and said "NO".
ME 'Are you angry with Daddy?
NOAM - NO.. 
ME -Shuly? 
NOAM - 'NO" 
ME - Do you miss daddy? I do! 
NOAM - NO (but I think he does) 
ME -What about Shuly? 
NOAM - NO! 
ME - And Mika? 
NOAM- NO! - 'play' - 
ME -"Do you want to play with Mika?"
NOAM - YES, MUMMY, PLAY MIKA! 



This may sound like a simple discussion especially for a 5 year old! For me and Noam I honestly believe this was the best discussion we have ever had!
He actually got his feelings out with the help of mediation.
Once I understood what he was feeling I was able to explain to him that Mika would also love to play with him and we will go home on a plane in two weeks and see everyone.
He went to sleep feeling calm and with a smile on his face! And so will I
I am going to sleep thanking EVERYONE for giving us this opportunity to learn. I am thanking EVERYONE for giving me my dream, although a simple one, I had a conversation with my son. THANK YOU!!!!
Shabbat Shalom