Event Recap: “Becoming the Adults Children Want to Talk To”

A Mount Holyoke Club of New York Event — April 19, 2025, New York City

On April 19th, Guild Board members Marcia Brumit Kropf ’67 and Tara Mia Paone ’81 hosted an intimate gathering of members of the Mount Holyoke Club of New York for a hands-on workshop led by Alexander Kopelman, Founding CEO of the Children’s Arts Guild and proud parent of Rosie Kopelman ’29.

The morning centered on a deceptively simple but powerful question: what does it take to become the kind of adult that children actually want to talk to? Drawing from his forthcoming book For Real: Helping Children Remain Their Authentic Selves in a Limiting World (Page Two Books, June 9^th, 2026), Alex invited participants to reflect on how their own socialization shaped their sense of self—and how those inherited beliefs and attitudes ripple forward into children’s lives.

Participants dove into creative exercises, including self-portraits and storytelling activities drawn directly from For Real, using markers, colored pencils, and craft materials like Wikki Stix and small wooden figures. The energy in the room was both playful and reflective, with participants sharing drawings and personal recollections about formative interactions with adults—both encouraging and discouraging—from their own childhoods.

What Participants Said

“Authenticity is such a powerful lens through which to consider learning, growth, and everyday experience. I really enjoyed connecting with others there, and hearing more about the work of the Children’s Arts Guild.”

“Thank you so much for bringing such beautiful programming to the Mount Holyoke Club NYC. It was such a delightful and meaningful way to spend a Sunday morning. Thank you even more for doing such important work and doing so much to share it with broader communities.”

“I truly enjoyed the workshop on Sunday. The need for self-understanding, belonging and authenticity resonated with me and is useful in my day-to-day interactions at my school.”