The Women's Group Covers "Children's Rights"

 

Play is a natural part of childhood, but its importance in a child's healthy development is generally underestimated. That is why for the past couple of weeks the ladies of The Women’s Group (TWG) have be covering the topic of “Children’s Rights” with Liana Habash of the Early Childhood Resource Center.

Members of TWG often overlook the importance of play because it was likely void in their own lives growing up. Keeping this in mind, Ms. Habash designed her seminars with the women to incorporate play and games or sports to show the women by example how these activities help to stimulate intellectual development, improve dexterity, build confidence and develop important social skills. After each activity when Ms. Habash polls the women to gauge their response to it, the women often answer smilingly, "I feel like a child". Seminar topics like "Children's Rights" are not only giving the women a chance to escape the daily chaos of their lives and learn new things, but it is also giving them a chance to practice open-mindedness and see things through a different lens.

Here in Nablus - as in many disadvantaged communities - children's play is seen by many as unnecessary and baring no importance compared to studying, school, working, and chores. It is not to say that the importance of education and responsibility should not be instilled in children from a young age, however it is when those values start to impact on the availability of time for children to play that it becomes a concern.

Convincing a community to break away from the view that child's play is superfluous is an ambitious endeavor in a place that has now suffered from so many decades of occupation that they have lost sight of how to create happiness around themselves and for their children. However, TYO hopes that with the passing each seminar - whether it be on children's rights, communication skills, time management, confidence or empowerment - that attendees of TWG can take away lessons that have a positive impact on their lives.