Almost nothing is more discouraging to parents than watching their child's thwarted attempts to achieve in school and connect with peers. Every poor grade on a report card, every instance of ridicule, every rejected social overture diminishes self-worth. Each time problem solving efforts meet failure, dents in self-esteem accrue. As these patterns continue, 'hurts' gather and trying declines. To magnify matters, faltering children grow weary of parental efforts to bolster esteem and often think "You're only telling me these good things because you love me."

As parents see their children slipping, they frequently find few who can respond to their concerns. Schools often do not know quite what to do with a child who is shutting down or moving increasingly to the fringes. And as parents pursue treatment options, they realize individual counseling alone cannot address the issue of accumulating social skill deficits.

"How do we correct this?" "How do we stop this deterioration in confidence and self-value?" "Where do we find a 'safe' educational and social setting where children will not fail, will not be rejected, and can begin to acquire the academic and social skills they are missing?" These are some of the piercing questions parents ask.

Wediko's Summer Program provides some of the answers to these questions. Conceived for children whose development is at risk, our comprehensive experiential learning approach offers almost endless opportunity for new learning. Academic skills are jump-started in an environment where achievement is unavoidable, and failure is controlled. Social learning is accelerated through success-oriented activities, nurturing relationships, supportive/corrective feedback, and incentive systems which overcome fear and unwillingness to try.

Wediko, designed to be a life turning experience, is recognized as one of the ten model programs in the country for treating and educating children whose psychological development is moving towards the edge. Please call or e-mail the summer coordinators for more information. To reach us by phone call, Robert, Julie or Bianca at (617) 292-9200.  To reach us by e-mail click on one of our names.

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