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Child therapist says kids grow up fearful
by Richard Bono
TSI staff writer
Psychiatrist Jack Weltner
bemoans the fact that children
today are being taught to fear the
world they live in. The electronic
and print media, he says, are
conditioning adults, who are in
turn conditioning children, to
venture into the world with more
than just a sensible amount of
trepidation.
“Every culture creates a myth
ology for its children. It tells kids
how life ought to be,” Dr. Weltner
said. “We’re probably the first
culture that is presenting a myth
ology that centers around anti-
heros and fear of your fellow
man. What the hell are we creat
ing this kind of mythology for?”
Dr. Weltner was this year’s vis
iting scholar for the annual lec
ture and training program spon
sored by the Sidney Isenberg
In-Service Endowment Fund of
Jewish Family Services Inc.
Child molestation is a particu
larly loathsome occurrence that
is receiving an undue amount of
press, Weltner indicated, not
because it is any less heinous
than it is perceived to be, but
because it's probably less preval
ent than the media portrays.
“I’m not sure that more kids
are being molested today than
they were 100 years ago,” he said,
“but I’m sure that it’s on kids’
consciousness more. Kids are
afraid of their neighbors. The
message they’re getting is ‘this
isn’t a safe world.'”
Weltner said Jewish parents
“Computers and
video games have
the quality of almost
an addictive
substance. They are
highly stimulating.
You get high on it.
But there is nothing
left at the end and
you need another
hit. A lot of our
culture has that
quality.”
—Dr. Jack Weltner
aren’t any more at fault than
non-Jewish parents. But, given
the Jewish experience with the
Holocaust, “it’s even harder for
Jewish parents to say to their
kids ‘bad things aren’t going to
happen to you.’”
Children of the ’80s are also
conditioned, Weltner says, bv
the advent of computers and video
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machines into our everyday life.
“It is a culture of highly stimulat
ing events, which fascinate child
ren, but when approached in the
popular way, don’t provide any
kind of meaning,” he said.
“Computers and video games
have the quality of almost an
addictive substance,” according
to Weltner. “They are highly stim
ulating. You get high on it. But
there is nothing left at the end
and you need another hit. A lot
of our culture has that quality.”
Weltner, who is a family and
child therapist in his native New
England, contends that children
will not necessarily outgrow the
negative effects of the computer
video age.
“The effect will be negative on
them in their adult life,” he said,
“in terms of forming adult, com
mitted relationships, which tend
not to offer high levels of stimu
lation." He added that the pre
valence of computers and video
games also fail to prepare chil
dren to relate to the world in a
meaningful way.
Child-rearing in the 1980s is
complicated by the fact that in
many families, both parents work.
Child care, he said, is a poor sub
stitute for a one-on-one, day-to-
day relationship with your child,
but if it cannot be avoided, it’s
not that bad.
People have no natural parent
ing ability, stated Weltner. For
that reason, he advocates that
David C. Garrett Jr., chair
man of the board and chief exec
utive officer of Delta Air Lines,
has been chosen as the 1986
recipient of the Horace M. Kallen
Award of the American Jewish
Congress. The award, for distin
guished community service, will
be presented by former U.S. Rep.
Elliott Levitas at a dinner at 7
p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the
Hyatt Regency Atlanta.
This year marks Garrett’s 40th
anniversary with Delta Air Lines.
Shortly after he completed mil
itary service in the U.S. Air
Force, Garrett joined Delta, where
he has held the positions of assist
ant vice president, operations;
vice president, operations; senior
vice president; and member of
the board of directors since 1968.
In 1983, he assumed the position
of chief executive officer of Delta
Air Lines and was named chair
man of the board.
Garrett’s professional affilia
tions include the directorship of
the Air Transport Association,
couples prepare for child-rearing,
if possible, reading, studying and
taking courses.
the Travelers Corp., National
Service Industries Inc., U.S. Steel
Corp. and Texas Instruments. In
1983, he was named Georgian of
David C. Garrett Jr.
the Year by the Georgia Associa
tion of Broadcasters and was the
recipient of the Tony Jannus
Award presented to those who
have made a significant contri
bution to aviation.
Horace M. Kallen, a philo
sopher and teacher, was a former
officer of the American Jewish
Congress and one of its founders.
He is best noted for developing
the concept of “cultural plural
ism” and fighting for social jus
tice and human rights.
The award dinner will be chaired
by Robert J. Lipshutz, senior
partner in the law firm of Lip
shutz, Frankel, Greenblatt & King
and special counsel to former
president Jimmy Carter. Co-
chairman is Robert Strickland,
chairman of the board and chief
executive officer of Trust Com
pany of Georgia and Sun Trust
Banks.
For reservations or further in
formation, contact Lee Furman
at 688-2300.
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David Garrett chosen
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