Imagine you are sitting comfortably on a jet that just took off. You were upgraded to business class because of a problem on your last flight and are sitting in the first row, quite close to the pilot and co-pilot’s cabin so you can hear a bit of the talk behind the closed cabin door. While you can’t hear exactly what is being discussed, it is clear from the tone that the pair responsible for the safety of you and the other 230 passengers are in the middle of a heated argument.
How would you feel? What would you do?
The arguing turns to screams.
How would you feel? What would you do?
Following two minutes of screaming, the pilot (or co-pilot, you can’t tell which) runs out of the cabin to the back of the plane and locks himself into the bathroom.
How would you feel? What would you do?
Perhaps you would yell at the pilot and co-pilot to stop. Perhaps you would yell to the steward to do something. Perhaps you might even try to use the flight telephone to call 911. Whatever you did, you and everyone else on the plane would undoubtedly be terrified.
But what if you were 5 years old and the pilots (parents) of your plane (home, family, and every other part of your life) were screaming at each other, perhaps throwing things or threatening to abandon the plane—you couldn’t do anything (you’re only 5, and you couldn’t really do anything even if you were 10). But you’d sure be terrified and occasional reassurances that Mommy and Daddy will always love you do nothing to help you feel secure; your life is falling apart!
If you are a parent, you are the pilot of a plane carrying very special cargo. Are you ready to put aside whatever complaints you have with the copilot and work to make sure your child’s plane is as secure as your children need and deserve?
Please feel free to contact me regarding this (or any) topic. You can do so anonymously by writing to [email protected]
Dr. Glick was a clinical psychologist as well as rabbi of Congregation Ahavat Yisroel. If you would like to contact him for an appointment, you can do so by writing to him at [email protected] or calling him at 201-983-1532.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Glick
