Balance
Steady and ready.
Introduction to The Senses
Ask any kindergarten teacher and they'll tell you the three most important "readiness" skills are the ability to sit still, pay attention, and stay focused. Our sense of balance (the vestibular system) governs all three.
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Without balance is like living on a tightrope. At any moment you could tip over. That’s whatlittle ones are dealing with everyday. Until they get control of their balance it's going to be hard for them to focus on much of anything else.
And of course, when we feel unsteady we
are uncertain. That’s because courage begins with physical confidence.
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And that begins in the early years,
like your first ride down the slide
all by yourself...
Every first takes courage.
Every first is learning.
Celebrate every first.
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Sliding Solo
Our Sense of Balance is more than physical. It is the starting point for cognitive focus and emotional equilibrium.
”I love going to the playground. The slide is my favorite but it’s really high up so I have to watch my step. Granny goes with me. Then we slide down together really fast.”
Changing orientation gives the brain practice in maintaining balance in dynamic situations. It also changes our perspective which gives the brain new information to analyze.
“We go up the ladder again. It’s amazing how much you can see when you’re this tall.
We slide down again.”
Certainty in our physical steadiness opens up the brain to think about what’s next and assess what’s right for me.
“Hmmm. I wonder what it would be like to go down the slide all by myself?”
Granny thinks I can do it.
She promises to catch me
at the bottom.”
Only when we’re centered can we believe in ourselves and our own choices.
“I climb up the ladder. It’s really high up. I watch my step as I climb. When I get to the top I sit down.
Granny’s waiting for me at the bottom. She’s smiling. She knows I can do it.
All I have to do is let go.”
Courage grows out of trying.
“Wheeeeeeeee!"
And there's more...
Intuition & Your Child's Development
Intuition is our internal GPS system that tells the brain where we are in space and how we interact with our world. In other words, Intuition how we NAVIGATE.​ Navigation is tricky and takes many years to master. It's comprised of four different aspects of a child's learning journey...
Body Awareness. Kids are just learning about their bodies... "What do I look like?" What are the different parts of my body?"
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Spatial Awareness. Kids learn about their body in context to the space and objects around them. "How big am I? Do I fit in this space?"
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Body Subconscious. As kids interact with their physical world, they are building a deep sense of themselves. This is how we are able to climb stairs without looking at them, or keep ourselves from falling out of bed. Grown-ups know how to navigate without thinking about it. Kids don't.
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Strength Management. With little life experience, kids don't know how much force to use when manipulating objects. That's why they push too hard... or too little.
This is a lot for little ones to understand, made more complicated by the fact that they're growing.
All throughout the early years, they will need to learn and re-learn their sense of Intuition.
In the meantime, at least now you know why they bump into the furniture.