Good Morning - my body!

This is an exercise to help increase your child's awareness, focus and concentration.

Suitable for children from 4 years of age.

Start by telling your child that you are going to listen to your body .
(For older children and adults we call this Body scanning, it is done slightly differently).

Now, ask your body....and feel...

"How are you feeling today"?
"Does your body feel calm"?
"Is it jumpy or is it tired"?
"Is your body thirsty or hungry"? 
"Is there a pain anywhere or 
does your body feel good and happy today"?

When you have listened to how your child's body feels today, give him/her a cuddle, and say "yes, sometimes your body feels like that, tomorrow it probably feels different". (You might have to tend to hunger och thirst if they can´t wait).

NOW it is time to say Good Morning to all parts of your body, in the following order, by gently patting each part. If you like to sing, do so. Tell your child to copy you on his/her own body. 

Do it quite slowly so your child can follow!

You greet every part ....GOOD MORNING

toes

heels

soles

both my feet

ankles

calf

knees

thighs -front, back, inside, outside

hips

lower back

belly

bottom

right palm

left palm

fingers on my right hand

fingers on my left hand

right wrist

left wrist

right forearm

left forearm

elbows

upper right arm

upper left arm

chest

shoulders

throat

neck

back of your head - pat extra carefully

top of your head

temples

forehead

cheeks

chin

lips

ears

eyes....

GOOD MORNING ALL OF ME - finish by giving yourself a big hug!

   

In the above exercise you can choose which part to say good morning to, with a very young child you choose just a few and with an older child you include others as well....like nose tip, tongue, eyebrows etc.

Which parts does your child already know? Which part do you need to repeat? 

This exercise increase body awareness and gives self confidence.

 

 


 

The Environment and the Creative process

"As soon as the children find something that interest them, 

they lose their instability and learn to concentrate"

The Secret of Childhood by Maria Montessori

Of course, there are various ways for children to find stability and to enhance self confidence, one good example is when painting, drawing or making stuff.

Children between 4 - 7 years (the Pre-Schematic Stage),

is now conscious of what they are drawing.                      

The child draws "what he knows but not what he sees".

TIME

Ideally children should have the opportunity to create at all times. They should be free to select activity - using different materials, which should be easily accessible, so they can develop their independence, which leads to self-confidence!

SPACE

Arrange a small table and/or an easel.           

MATERIALS

Nearby fix a cupboard or shelf, with boxes or jars where to keep all the materials for creating.

• Different pens, pencils, crayons, waterpainting, readymix, fingerpaint, flourescent paint. (top shelf, but still reachable)
• Chubby paintbrushes, Bristle and Hoghair paintbrushes and watercolour paintbrushes
• Different types and different colours of paper  
• Scissors and glue - old cards (birthday/christmas) and old magazines are good and easy to cut and glue.
• Pieces of wood and woodglue
• Apron -  one that your child can easily put on by themselves - when you have showed them how!                                

Show him/her HOW to clean up and put things back in the right place, explain how easy it will be next time he/she is inspired to paint or create something.

Make them proud of having such a nice "creating cupboard/shelf"!

From 4 years of age, he/she usually draws humans and soon they start drawing animals, houses, trees and flowers. Of course the variation between children at this stage is often big. 

              At this time you will be able to see his/her thinking processes.

Find ways to inspire them!

Your role is of vital importance because now you can help to build up your child´s self confident

Both your language and your general attitude should be carefully considered.

• Try not to interfere by directing or correcting him/her
• Do not give him praise, unless he/she says "look what a lovely picture I have made...." because now we are encouraging intrinsic motivation, the child is not drawing because you want him/her to draw, but because he/she really wants to draw - the inspiration comes from within!
• Encourage independence. Show him/her how to clean the paint brushes and how to put them back in the jar with the bristle pointing upwards.

• When your child has finished and everything is cleaned up, take the time to talk about what he/she has created and display the work in an attractive way.

• If your child draws or paints a lot everyday, is not possible to to display everything! Make a special box where he/she can keep his/her art - the child will soon forget about it, because for the young child it is not the result that counts - it is the "doing" that is important!

Tips on what to say to encourage your child is:

"Are you pleased with your....."    - if he/she is pleased, only then, do you give him praise.
"Would it be a good idea to...."
"Have you thought about......."
"What would you do next time..." 

Be involved and interested!

And you will find a child that is both harmonious, happy and independent and 

with a great self confidence!

You are the most important person 

in your child`s Life!

Love yourself !   

           

 Send loving thoughts 

to yourself 

at least once a day!

 

 Give yourself 5 minutes 

twice a day 

for reflection/meditation.

 Even if the days are turbulent - which I know they sometimes are,  the best gift you can give to yourself is time to reflect/meditate. Is a good way to reduce any stress you might feel.

When you are calm your child will feel the harmony.

You can`t pretend to be calm, your child will sense your energy!

When your young child takes a nap, turn off your mobile and just "sit" for about five minutes before preparing for the rest of the day.

A very powerful, simple exercise I can recommend when you just "sit" is to: 

Breath slowly through your nose, focus on your breath, follow your inhalation - observe the space between your inhalation and exhalation- exhale even slower ..after a few very slow deep breath through your nose start to listen to your heartbeats.

The breath and the heartbeat is the vibration of life!

It will calm you down, make you feel happy, make your problems smaller...maybe they will even disappear?!

I you have an older child that is not taking a nap in the day - you can do this exercise while sitting next to your playing child. 

Tell your child you are meditating which is like listening to your thoughts, this will make you feel good and happy in your heart, perhaps your child will join you!

Children often love to hide in a little den. If you have arranged a place, for example under  the staircase, under a table with a blanket over the top or outside in a tree house or tent - do not disturb your child when he/she is there - it is their way to listen to their own thoughts and to enjoy the silence.

We all need to find this inner place of peace, that is deep within all of us.

 "There is a place beyond right or wrong, lets meet there" , by Rumi.

Take good care of yourself first and you will have a happy and loving child!

It is the same when you are on a flight, should anything happen you are instructed to put the oxygen mask onto yourself first before putting a mask on your child! Its the same in everyday life - your well being is most important for your child's well being and happiness.

What is this inner power?

It is so fantastic!

ALL children, in all corners of the world develop in the same way, and they all have inner powers!

For instance - they all learn their native language WITHOUT a teacher!!

Reflect on this: What is this inner power?

Maria Montessori, who was a physician, educator and innovator, known for her educational method

built on her studies of children all over the world and how they naturally learn, claims: “this inner power is the spirit, and the spirit is what gives life to all physical organisms, and its here all your child´s hidden possibilities lays”. If you look up the word spirit in a dictionary its definition is “the breath of life”. It is derived from the Latin word spirare meaning “to breath”.
So spirit I interpret as the life force, and is not religious.

Maria Montessori often talked about the importance of nurturing the child's spirit. There are of course many different ways to do this.

One way is to give your child a magnifying glass, and take him/her out into nature, to experience natures wonderful world of miracles.

A simple thing like turning over a big stone can be very fascinating!? What can you see?
Very interesting for a 4-7 year old child.



Smell the rain, feel the grass, listen to the wind……..use all your senses! This is the real world!





Make him/her aware and remember to let your child ask the questions!
Nature balances and heals both you and your child.


Don’t forget to bring a picnic – of course you have prepared the picnic together! After the picnic look closely at your miracle and shower him /her with loving thoughts!