Spirit Children

 Spirit Child

spirit-child High energy children are surprising. Who knows what they will become after overcoming the childhood stigma of being diagnosed as hyperactive?

All Children are Not Created Equal

All children are not created equal. Some appear to have an easy time with life while others struggle with hidden demons in a less than tolerant society.

I’ve observed a great many children both at home and in the museum and noticed how the calm and collected ones were able to concentrate, grasp ideas quickly and complete what was expected of them. They received good grades in school, learned to play instruments, joined soccer teams, had lots of friends and appeared to float through their school years. By continuously receiving positive feedback they developed strong egos and gained enough confidence to tackle new challenges. Teachers and family members found it easy to love these children and they took pride in their achievements.

Unfortunately, there were those who presented quite a different challenge, especially when they bounced around the room uncontrollably. These children were often diagnosed as being attention deficit and hyperactive. I disliked the idea that they were being labeled ADHD at a young age and wondered if that stigma would last for their entire lifetime? These children were often very bright, but their intelligence was not always appreciated by teachers because behavior problems got in the way.

Unfortunately, public classrooms are large and overworked teachers want attentive students who can focus and not cause a disturbance. Energetic kids, however, have other ideas. They want to get out of their seat and move around the room. At times they create trouble because it is the best way to get attention. Ofttimes their difficulties are the result of boredom because their intelligence has never been recognized. The assigned work can feel like a punishment to them. These children are quite often hands-on or participatory learners rather than sit-in-your-desk, read and write in workbooks type of kids. But because they wiggle about, words of praise are seldom sent in their direction.

One year when one of my sons was in fourth grade, children were being tested for admittance to the school’s TAG program. His teacher did not think he was bright enough to pass the admission exam. My husband and I insisted that he get tested, and bingo, he was a top scorer. His teacher was surprised, but once the results were returned she treated him differently. His TAG opportunities were excellent, and were such that all children should have had the chance to experience since they were organized to promote individual achievement rather than failure.

I too am a highly energetic person. It is difficult for me to sit still for long periods of time. As a professional I served on a great many community boards. When asked to attend day- long meetings I found sitting in one place to be painful. I had to move about, and would often be the only person standing at the back of the room while listening to the proceedings. At my desk I sit on a large inflated ball rather than a chair because it is unstable and moves constantly, requiring physical adjustment for balance.

I have a great deal of empathy for energetic children who are forced to fit into a be-still mold. When I complained about my child’s classroom difficulties, a physician once told me, “ Your son is just the type of person who will be successful as an adult.” He went on to say that my child’s energy would get focused and boredom would be overcome as he embraced activities that he enjoyed. “His exuberance will transform into leadership qualities that will motivate others.” he said. And yes…his prediction came true. My son is successful in a job that requires intense concentration, and he does demonstrate leadership qualities.

Some schools embrace alternative educational approaches for their students. They develop ways of working with energetic students wit the goal of leaving no child behind. Their enlightened educators reinforce achievements, permit movement, and integrate lesson plans that speak to individual learning styles. They acknowledge that attention and behavior problems are often the result of the system and not the child.

Family members living with energetic children with behavior difficulties might consider using a behavior modification approach that reinforces achievements and celebrates the wonderful individuality of their child. Though it may take effort to implement such a program, when practiced in a consistent manner the results will eventually bring a great deal of happiness to your family. But most of all, remember to love and praise these children for all of the wonderful things they can do well.

This article concerns ADHD children, but there are many other disabilities and talents found in a classroom. Serving the individual needs of students is a matter of organization, and there are many successful examples of how this can be done. I find no excuse for putting children in a mold. For example there are 475 public schools that operate Montessori Programs. There are elementary schools that have grade level home room and gym activities, but their students travel to achievement level classes for academic studies. In middle and high schools, vocational training can be integrated with scholastic programs. There is benefit from having children learn to use shop tools and kitchen utensils. These participatory classes get children out of their seats, understand the practical side of life, and let them move around. In all instances, the student should be put on the pedestal taught to his or her needs. Isn’t it time to think creatively so we can stem the drop-out tide by serving our children well?

Please let me know your thought on this subject by going to eichingerfineart.com/blog and responding.

For more information go to:

http://www.adhdandyou.com/hcp/adhd-behavior-modification.aspx – ADHD and You from US Healthcare Professionals- Behavior modification plan for ADHD children.

http://psychcentral.com/lib/setting-up-a-behavior-management-plan-for-an-adhd-child/0002182 – Psych Central – Behavior management plan for children with ADHD.

http://www.public-montessori.org – For Montessori in the public schools.

http://www.montessori-namta.org/Montessori-Implementation – 10 Steps to implementing Montessori in the public schools.

Great Expectations

SannaWill she be in control?

Great Expectations
My 13 year-old-daughter returned from two weeks in overnight camp with great anticipation. She later told me that during the car ride home she imagined running into the house and jumping onto the pillows of her favorite living room chair. Unbeknownst to her, while she was away, my husband and I had rearranged the furniture. When my daughter entered the room ready to make her leap, instead of the chair being in its familiar location, it had been moved across the room. She became disoriented and quite upset. “ What have you done to the room? Where is my chair? ” she shouted, blaming us for providing a chaotic and unanticipated homecoming. It was as though we had taken away her sense of belonging and safety from the place she called home.

Her reaction reminded me of a similar situation I experience in my childhood. In that instance I was entering my bedroom and discovered that the bureau was moved away from the wall. I did not notice my grandfather hidden behind the furniture trying to fix an electrical outlet. Instead of thanking Grandpa for helping with the repair, I too exploded in anger. Afterwards I was embarrassed by my behavior, and I still cannot think of the incident today without feeling remorseful.

Those two incidences of angry emotional reaction were singular, but as I aged there was one emotion, that of fear, that stayed with me to cause a great deal of trouble. Public speaking was part of my job as museum director yet for years I would get dizzy as soon as I started talking to a crowd. This dysfunctional reaction had started in fifth grade when I was asked to give a book report before the class. Three minutes into the talk I felt dizzy and my eyes would not focus. I had to sit down and put my head between my legs to avoid fainting.

Years later I considered these past experiences and wondered what triggered such fierce reactions, and asked myself how they could be better controlled. Curiosity led me to study the physiological makeup of the body in closer detail, especially the role of adrenaline.
I learned that the way a person reacts to a situation is commonly labeled as an emotional response (happy, sad, anger, fear etc.), and to create that emotion the body’s involuntary nervous system is at work. Several hundred years ago it was believed that body and brain were separate, but today the idea is accepted that they are connected. How our appendages are moved by thought is something most of us can comprehend, or at least accept, for we have control when using the voluntary part of our nervous system. Think about raising your arm and you can probably do it with ease. The involuntary or less conscious part of our sensorium is more complex, but it is where we need go in order to understand how emotional responses are triggered.

This part of our neurology causes so much havoc that I wanted to figure out why. The autonomic, involuntary or visceral nervous system is a part of the body that acts as a control system below the level of consciousness. Bundles of nerves deal with functions like heart rate, perspiration, glands, digestion and salivation, diameter of the pupils, urination, and sexual arousal. Often their effects are life saving, as when adrenaline jumps in dangerous situations, helping to focus attention and enable a fast reaction. At other times, especially under conditions of prolonged stress, the effect can lead to ulcers or heart disease.

I wondered if these involuntary emotional systems could be controlled? Pharmaceutical companies think so, and have developed a multi-billion dollar industry with pills like Prozac. Many monks and yogis are convinced that it is a learned response that can be possessed after years of practicing meditation. Drug dealers, taking advantage of society’s desire for short cuts, sell mind altering drugs like marijuana and cocaine in order to affect autonomic nerves.

When I was president of The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry we developed an exhibit that showed how the mind can learn to control the involuntary system. A visitor would go into a quiet booth and put two fingers on adjacent probes. The goal was to make one finger warmer than the other through mind control. When the finger temperatures differed by a degree, an electric train placed outside of the booth would be put in motion. A great many visitors were able to accomplish this feat though I never could.
Neurologists teach people how to do “hot hands” to treat migraine headaches. I had a doctor friend who used the process often when working in tense emergency medical situations. He learned a modern technique that used bio-feedback equipment to help speed up the meditative process. The goal of his therapist was to teach migraine sufferers how to make their blood flow from head to hands, opening the restricted vessels in their neck that often cause the pain.

My personal technique for controlling my autonomic reactions is meditation. I practice daily and after many years am able to slow my heart rate and keep adrenaline from spiking uncontrollably, enabling me to make a speech when called on to do so. I have friends who practice yoga or Pilates with similar intent, focusing their mind to control stress and other negative emotions.

As I age, I find it more important than ever to incorporate mind control activities into daily practice. It helps me gain a perspective when dealing with unexpected situations involving family, finances, and illnesses to name a few. My desire to stay completely calm in the face of unexpected situations will probably never be fully realized, but I am better than before. I also have perspective, and accept the fact that many things will go wrong, just as many times there will be pleasant surprises with better than expected outcomes. Watching my daughter embark on new new adventures, I see her taking risks based on dreams where she imagines a happy ending. I hope she has learned how to prepare both body and mind to react to unexpected events in order to emotional balance ups and downs that might get in the way. The knowledge that she has internal resources at her disposal may be all that is needed to provide enough courage for her to pursue ideas with great expectations.
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Art work is always for sale. Go to eichingerfineart.com for more information.

Do you want to know more about the autonomic nervous system?

https://www.rarediseasesnetwork.org/ARDCRC/patients/learnmore/FAQ.htm – also discusses diseases and cures.

https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/auto.html – great description, written for kids

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART00466/Biofeedback-Dr-Weil-Wellness-Therapies.html – bio feedback and migraines “With practice, biofeedback can allow you to influence the part of the nervous system that regulates the dilation of blood vessels that contribute to migraine symptoms. Once you master this technique, it can be a tool you can use to abort a headache at the start of an attack.”

Think STEAM

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The Barnyard
by Marilynne Eichinger

Think STEAM

Recently I read about a pioneer family that homesteaded in Colorado in the 1800sT. he book focused on the life of a ten-year-old who assisted his father erect their prairie home, complete with barn, fences, and sheds. As a youth he watched a dowser use two rods to locate water and then helped dig the family well. The boy had neither time nor need to play with blocks or science apparatus when practical objects had to be assembled and serviced. By living with nature, he became aware of cloud formations and the weather’s impact on planting and harvesting. Cycles of bird migration and birthing habits of lambs and other livestock were part of his domain. During the era of western settlement, construction and farm skills were passed down from father to son. Sewing, preserving, medical and cooking accomplishments went from mother to daughter. In both cases innovation was was a result of multi-generational cooperation.

My partner Ray grew up on the edge of a gravel pit that created similar experiences for him. Since his father owned quarry, at a young age he was taught to crush rocks, fix machines, and even drive tractors. Today he can repair most small engines and is a useful man to have around the house. When we hire contractors to do repairs, Ray watches them attentively, making sure that they do not cut corners and that the work is completed as promised. “Build it right the first time,” he instructs.

Town-raised children have little contact with farming or, as in Ray’s case, gravel mining. My father was a physician and had to trust tradesmen, who were not always trustworthy, to complete work around our house. The contractors my parents hired often had several jobs going at the same time, causing them to jump from one location to the next paying customer, trying to keep all of them satisfied. The company owners were often adept at doublespeak and disguised the limitations of their knowledge. In later years, it always surprised me, when faced with a similar situation, that their bill was rarely discounted. It often took me several years to notice imperfections that would not have been there if the contractor had been upfront about the company’s abilities.

The current generation of children will most likely face a worse situation. I, at least, studied physics, learned a bit about engines and mechanical advantage and was given some practical experience in household management. Home economics and shop courses were part of the curriculum in my day, and as a get in there and mess around type of person those subjects appealed to me.

Since parents are not qualified to pass on these skills to their offspring, it is time for schools to step in. Every child needs to receive a modicum of practical training. A rudimentary understanding of carpentry, electricity, plumbing, small engine repair, automotive care, and personal finances will make life smoother. Shop, art, home economics and music classes need to be added back to the curriculums for academic as well as vocational students. These subjects are intrinsically motivating and often serve as pathways to careers in engineering, the trades, or science, and they have a dual benefit of fostering creativity, curiosity, and problem solving.

So what happens if your offspring are not given a chance to learn these subjects in school? Though parents and grandparents may not be able to show their children how to build a home on the prairie, they can provide an area in their home filled with real tools, blocks, wooden planks, cardboard, pipes, glue and tape. They can give their children small engines, radios, and clocks for dismantling. Visits to construction sites and observing tradespeople at work and hands- on museums can go a long way to stimulate curiosity.

As adults we can encourage educators to think in terms of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) for rounding out curriculum options. My high school physics course led me to a career managing science centers. My art class gave me a hobby that has become a profession in retirement. Cooking classes introduced me to measurement and chemistry as I mixed flavors, colors and textures, leaving me with surprising concoctions to sample. I thank my old school and my parents for the opportunities they gave me, and for inspiring my curiosity about everyday objects.

Art work can be seen at eichingerfineart.com. All work is for sale.