I Wasn’t a Bad Kid | 15 Years Later, I Found the Little Boy I Never Forgot

Fifteen years ago, Matty Dreyfuss was my first-grade student. (Well, sort of, cuz I was the assistant.) He was bright, curious, full of energy, and definitely not always the kid whose head was exactly where the rest of the class was. And I never forgot him. This year, completely out of the blue, I called him. This convo turned into a one I think every kid, teenager, parent, and teacher needs to hear. Matty talks about what it felt like growing up hearing that he had “so much potential,” getting sent out of class when he didn’t even really understand what he had done wrong, and eventually learning something that changed everything: how his own brain works. We talk about ADHD, motivation, learning differently, comparison, asking for help, connecting to Hashem, and what can happen when we stop trying so hard to become like everybody else and start understanding who we actually are. Especially as we head back into the long stretch of school, work, and routine after Yom Tov, I cannot think of a better time for this conversation. For every kid who has ever wondered, “Why is this so hard for me?” And for every adult who loves one of those kids. This one is for you. Support the show