Metapelet
As a metapelet ( Hebrew מטפלת, transcribed : metappeleth or meṭappelet , plural:מטפלות, Metap [e] lot ) is called an educator in the Israeli kibbutz .
Tasks of the metapelet
Metaplot should not represent a mother substitute for the children in the kibbutz , but rather an addition to their parents as neutral persons . A strong, emotional bond with the children is undesirable, but difficult to avoid due to the intensive contact. They take on disciplining educational functions and are therefore the ones who, according to Freud's psychoanalysis, could have a conflictual and stressful effect on the parent-child relationship . For example, they are responsible for teaching cleanliness and good eating habits and for teaching rules of behavior and socio-ethical values of the kibbutz. They are therefore considered to be representatives of the kibbutz culture and are elected by the general assembly of the kibbutz.
In the early days of the kibbutzim, when the children slept separately from their parents in children's houses, the Metapelet also had the task of putting the children to bed. With the abolition of this overnight system, the metapelet became almost superfluous.
The frequent change of Metaplot has always been a major problem, which probably impaired the children's development in terms of building solid social bonds.