Do You Understand?

That YOU are AMAZING? That YOU are UNIQUE? That YOU are SPECIAL?

That YOU are WONDERFUL? That YOU are a Champion? That YOU are meant to do incredible things with your life?

Each and every one of you that are reading this article have vast, vast unlimited amounts of potential inside of you just waiting and wanting to emerge in and through your life!

Each of you is meant to do and achieve amazing things with your life. This is the reason why you are here on this planet, walking around, ALIVE. Deep inside of you, at your core, you know this to be True.

You are meant to spread your wings and soar to great heights of achievement, success and prosperity. Heights which you can imagine and heights beyond what you can imagine. This is a TRUTH! Most of us were never taught or told this truth in any meaningful and strategic manner while growing up (No fault by anyone).

The powerful knowledge of success principles and achievement strategies - how to set goals, how to focus our thinking, how to take correct action, how to strengthen our self-image and how to harness and unleash our unlimited potential - are not subjects we are taught in our schools and universities or our neighborhoods and communities.

It is time, time for each and every one of you, and time for our world to embrace our unlimited potential and allow it to emerge in our lives, in our families, in our communities and in our world!

I encourage each and everyone of you to search out the following success thinkers, leaders and visionaries - James Allen, W. Clement Stone, Russell Conwell, Wallace Wattles, Napoleon Hill, Norman Vincent Peal, Og Mandino, Jim Rohn, Bob Proctor, Esther and Jerry Hicks, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra and Denis Waitley - just to name a few.

Today, I encourage you to turn inward and explore your unlimited potential because the lasting change of success, achievement and prosperity you desire will never come from the outside in, it will only come from the inside and out. Out of you!

We are all taught and encouraged to love one another, to be kind to one another and to care for one another, but that is only half of the equation. I encourage you, as do the above mentioned great success thinkers and writers, to turn inward and begin to learn how to care for yourself, how to be kind to yourself, how to learn to love yourself, and how to unleash the vast unlimited potential and greatness which IS YOU!

Everything You need to create a successful, prosperous and happy life... and I emphasize EVERYTHING... already exists inside of You This is True for me, This is True for You, this is True for every human being.

Parental Alienation: Who's Best Interest?   What to Do If Your Child Is Being Bullied   November Is National Adoption Awareness Month   

How to Raise Responsible Children

Parents who are serious about raising academically successful children should teach them how to be responsible for their action. Children who are responsible for their actions will be serious about their school work and all activities they are involved in. These responsibilities can only be developed if the parents get involved and make sure their children take responsibility seriously. The question is how do parents make sure they are doing what is necessary to develop responsibility in their child?

This is a topic that parent s may not understand how it can impact the academic future of their children, but any positive characteristic parents can develop will be helpful to their educational future. What is important to understand is that parents who develop positive attributes for their children at a young age will help their children reap tremendous benefits later in life? Children who learn how to be responsible for their actions will also be responsible for getting their homework and assignments completed in school.

Developing responsibilities can start as early as the three years old. Teaching children how to groom themselves is a good start to being responsible. Some of the basic such as brushing teeth, combing and brushing hair should be part of the grooming process. As children grow older parents should give young children chores like cleaning their room up, cleaning up after they eating a meal, picking toys off the floor and how to sweep their bedroom floor. Participating in these chores will give children a sense of belonging to the family and being helpful for the over-all cleanliness of the house. Young children feel proud to be helping parent with grown-up activities if this process starts at an early age.

Chores are important because children will have to think and make decisions on the best and quickest way to complete the chores. This kind of thought process can help children become organized and learn how to take their responsibilities seriously. As the children grow older the chores should increase and parents may want to start some kind of allowance for their children. If parents do decide to use allowances as part of the family commitment, parents should never use allowance as a bribe to get children to do chores around the house. Allowances could be something that is used to give students who complete chores, and are being successful in school. The whole idea is to get children to do a good job at whatever they are involved in, regardless if they get a allowances or not. Parents will have to make a family decision if they will be giving allowance to their children.

When children are in elementary school they can be taught to wash dishes, mop floors, clean-up room, etc. These children should also be given a responsibility of doing their homework each night, and studying for test, and required reading on a regular schedule. If the child has after school activities, it is up to the parent to make sure they get to that activity each time it meets. If children learn the value of doing what they are responsible for the child will grow up as a responsible person, which can go a long way in being successful in school. Parents should continue to spend a lot of time talking to children and encouraging them and rewarding them when they earn a good report card. Rewards can be from encouraging words to a couple of dollars for each A.

It is a fact that parents spend less time with their children than ever before, and this can have a big impact on how children develop to be responsible as well as other positive characteristic s. If parents aren't around to help develop children they can develop bad habits. Nothing can take the place of parent interaction with their children, but having an organized plan in place to work on character building can be helpful. Some basic things that can be done to keep children on target if parents aren't at home is to develop a schedule of responsibilities. Parents should also have some way to check on children by calling home at specific times. Children will be more likely to do chores and homework if they know their parents will be checking on them regularly. Children should be made to understand the error of their ways, and there are consequences to their actions. This is a recommendation for parents who don't have the time to be with children as much as needed, but we know that nothing can replace spending quality time with children.

Another method that can be important in developing responsibility is to get the children to volunteer some of their time to help others. Children can help other children by tutoring or help older seniors who may need children to run errors for them or do some kind of volunteer work at church. Children who take on some of these responsibilities are being taught how people are relying on them. This is a good way to get children to feel good about themselves and also feel they are contributing to society. This will go a long way in developing a well rounded young person.

Anyone who has ever asked any child to do anything knows about the inevitable complaints and battles that can follow. Children's complaints can be valid or just complaints. Whatever the situation, parents should listen to them. This will help children have a sense that what they have to say is valuable. If children are constant complainers, parents need to make sure this is stopped and only valid complaints will be addressed. After everything is said the parent will probably still make them do the chores that were asked of them, but the parent took the time to listen which is very important to children. If what they are complaining about makes sense, the parents need to make some kind of adjustment. This kind of parent/child understanding can develop a strong relationship.

As children grow into their teenage year they should be knowledgeable about how to do more chores around the house including: doing the laundry, washing dishes, cooking some items, vacuuming floors and cleaning up bedroom. In addition to the chores, the children should continue the understanding the importance of doing homework each night and keep their grades up. If these qualities have been developed the future for the teenager should be brighter. In addition to what is asked at home most teenagers will be trying to have some kind of social life. This is not a problem, but parents should keep teaching about responsibilities during this time also. If teenagers want to go out with friends some kind of guidelines should be agreed upon. Parents should still have some say so on who they hang out with, where they go, how long they stay out. Parents should be very strict on teenagers keeping good grades or no social activities should be allowed. This is good time for parents to talk to their teenagers about making good choices when they go out, especially when it come to drugs, alcohol, and sex. If parents have already developed a good relationship with their teenager they will give parents a blow by blow report on what happen when they go out. This can help parents to discuss positive ways to deal with some of the problems their children may have encountered. If parents don't talk with their children they will probably have a harder time with helping teenagers when problems do occur. Whatever situation, praying can help get though these important years.

If parents have been teaching their children how to be a responsible at a young age, than when they are confronting with a difficult decision the child will most likely make a responsible choice. This is why it is very important to try and have your children hang out with other children who are also taught to be responsible. Sometimes this is not possible, because children can go to school and meet someone the parents don't approve of. That is why it is so important to have children involved in as many positive activities as possible and mingle with families who have some of the same beliefs. Once children develop some responsible characteristics they will most likely make the right decisions when confronted with peer pressure.

The responsibility that parents are trying to developing is also based on having high expectations for their children. Parents should realize that if they expect a lot from their children they will get a lot from them in return, and if they expect a little out of their children they will get a little. Parents need to understand that children can handle most things they are given. In order to be sure children live up to those expectations, parents need to continuously to stroke them and have reasonable request for them. In other words don't put the bar so high their children cannot meet those exceptions.

In making sure children understand how important it is to build some of these characteristic, parents must demonstrate positive characteristics. Parents need to demonstrate what it is like to do work around the house, what it is like to keep appointments, or socialize in a mature manner. Children watch parents very closely, so parents must understand that they need to practice what they preach. If parents are serious about raising responsible children they should be willing to live their life like a microscope, and allow children to see it. If parents make some of the commitments in this article their children will have a good chance of growing up to be a responsible person in society.

Parental Alienation: Who's Best Interest?   What to Do If Your Child Is Being Bullied   November Is National Adoption Awareness Month   

List of Values for Kids

A list of values helps parents focus on specific principles they would like to teach their children. Making a list of values for kids may feel overwhelming. Remember that teaching values is something that a child learns throughout his or her lifetime.

Below you will find suggestions to help you make a list of values. Take a look at the example list of values, along with the ideas on how to teach using your own list.

Making a list of Values for Kids

· Take a moment and think about someone you admire.

· As you think of this person, write down attributes you appreciate.

· Next to this list, write the values that are associated with the qualities you admire.

· Talk to friends, families, teachers, and religious leaders. Ask and note what values they try to live by.

· Think of principles or standards that are important to you. Write down those that you would like to instill in your own children.

First write down every idea that comes to you. Later you can edit the list to your top ten or fifteen values to keep it manageable.

Example List of Values for Kids

The following list of values for kids is an example of principles that you might include on your list. These values are not in any particular order.

· Honesty

· Integrity

· Kindness

· Empathy

· Thankfulness

· Curiosity

· Respect

· Imagination

· Hard work

· Perseverance

· Faith

· Friendship

Notice that imagination and curiosity are part of the list for values. Values are not only principles and standards. They are also what we consider important in our lives and would like to pass on to our children. Keep this in mind as you make your own list of values.

Teaching Values with a List

Values are taught by example in the home. Review the values on your list. As you talk with and listen to your child, moments to teach values will present themselves.

Use these moments to help your child know what you think is right in a particular situation. Assist them as they think of ways to put values into action in their everyday lives.

A lesson with the family, teaching a different value from your list each week or month, is an additional way to help your children understand and learn values.

Music can help teach values on your list. Find a song with words that illustrate one of the values on your list. Listen to it in the car or at home. As the child becomes familiar with it, you can begin teaching the words.

As you learn the words together you may ask questions like the following:

· What does this song talk about?

· What is it trying to help us understand?

· What is a situation where you could apply this value?

Keep in mind that learning and teaching values is a life long endeavor. Don't be discouraged; just be consistent. Live the values you want to teach. Expect and help your children to live them also.

Parental Alienation: Who's Best Interest?   What to Do If Your Child Is Being Bullied   November Is National Adoption Awareness Month   

When Parents Can't Get Help

There is a scene in the Disney movie, "Beauty and the Beast," where Belle's father is desperately trying to save her. She's being held prisoner by the Beast, so her father begs people in town to help rescue her.

At first, the townspeople lead him on, letting him think they will help. But, in truth, they don't believe him. They call him a "crazy lunatic" and literally throw him out into the bitter cold. He lands on his face, scooping snow with his mouth, and wails in hopeless desperation, "Will no one help me?"

That scene describes my life for 18 months. My son was being held "prisoner" by ADHD. The problem was that people either did not believe the severity of the struggles I was describing, or thought they were a result of poor parenting.

We were both prisoners to overwhelming ignorance over ADHD.

Mark had classic - and highly frustrating - symptoms of ADHD. He was very hyper and always on the move. His was very distracted, rarely engaged in anything in school, and couldn't process verbal instructions if his life depended on it. All of these symptoms made parenting crazy-frustrating and maddening... beyond words! But the worst part, by far, were the mood swings.

Mark developed manic and debilitating mood swings, beginning consistently in kindergarten. There was no telling when they would hit. Any little thing could trigger a two-hour melt-down.

These meltdowns wreaked havoc for our family! It was impossible to get to school - or anywhere - on time. Many evenings - and vacations - were destroyed by Mark's outbursts.

And, forget homework! His reading teachers thought I was a horrible, lazy parent when I sent several assignments back with a note attached. "Mark had a massive melt-down last night. I couldn't get him to do his homework. I'm still trying to get medical help, but I'm on a three-month waiting list... "

The situation was made worse by the fact that Mark was a calm, quiet child in school. The "Mark" that his teachers and principal saw was very different than the Mark that could explode at home. I can't blame any of them for being perplexed over my descriptions of his behavior. To them, he seemed like an angel.

Mark IS an angel! He's a lovely soul who loves to please people. But, two things were very clear to my husband and me...

First, his behavior was *not* a ploy to get attention and manipulate us. That did not fit his personality and many of his melt-downs occurred during fun things he wanted to do. Why would he sabotage his own fun time on purpose?

Secondly, we believed he was experiencing some sort of chemical reaction within his body. The moods were incredibly manic, as if he was possessed. His eyes would go blank and he lost all capacity to be rational. It's hard to explain to others, but we knew our son had no capacity to control himself.

One day we took a 1.5-hour road trip to visit Mark's favorite people: Uncle Greg, Aunt Mandy, and "baby Katie." Katie was a brand-new newborn at the time and Mark was over-the-moon to be her big cousin!

But, those 90 minutes were the longest of my life! Mark was a crying, inconsolable, and moody mess. He wailed many times, "I wish I was never even born!" which is a horrible - and scary - thing to hear from your child. For a brief, 5-minute window, however, he did manage to laugh very heartily over a crane on the side of the road. It was very manic and very concerning!

When we finally reached the restaurant to meet my family, I sat next to my brother Greg, put my head on the table, and cried! I had been trying to get help for Mark for months. I was sent from doctor to doctor, waiting list to waiting list. Meanwhile, our concerns were either dismissed, or were thought to be caused by a "crazy, lunatic" mother.

Soon after that road trip, right in the midst of my desperate scramble to get medical help, I was also thrown out in the cold, just like Belle's father. I've written about this the infamous meeting with Mark's principal a few times.

In short, the principal was concerned that Mark's reading scores had not improved in six months and that Mark had missed a lot of school. He knew about our medical concerns and all of our appointments; I had CCed him on every email to teachers throughout the year. But, he hadn't seen any sign of Mark's distress at school.

Since the outbursts were only happening at home, he told me, it was a parenting problem. He reached across the table, wagged his finger in my face, and scolded me. "YOU are holding your son back. His MOTHER is holding him back!" He then concluded the meeting by threating to take us to court for "educational neglect," which is child abuse in the court system.

He challenged my integrity as a professional and as a parent. It was a bully move, abusing his position of authority. In my head, I knew that he was the problem, not me. But, it was still a very painful accusation. By the time I left his office, I was crying so hard, I was hyperventilating.

It wasn't just the principal's obnoxious behavior that pushed me over the edge. It was that I felt duped. I thought he was our "educational partner" and was expecting the meeting to be much more pro-active and team-oriented.

It was also the fact that I had been killing myself to get help for Mark; worrying myself sick, straining over all sorts of "rule-out "diets, and sacrificing sleep to work late at night, since my daytime hours were filled with his doctor appointments, medical tests, and child care during his frequent "sick days."

And, I was also upset over the fact that I was running out of options.

Mark had already been diagnosed with ADHD, but the delay was over how to treat him. His blood sugar levels indicated that we should consult with a pediatric endocrinologist, another three-month wait. The endocrinologist said we had better check in with a pediatric cardiologist, another two-month wait. When every day is hell, waiting 90 days, then being told you have to wait another 60 days, then another 90 days... is very difficult and disheartening.

We soon learned not to tell any doctors or educators about the mood swings. As soon as we did, the attention would turn towards us and the quality of our parenting.

My husband and I aren't perfect parents, by any means, but we are as prepared as any parents can possibly be! We have both been trained in "Love and Logic" and each have years of experience honing our behavior-management skills in the classroom. Nonetheless, I'm here to tell you... logic does not prevail in a child with special needs!

Starting Treatment

So, instead of talking about the mood swings, we only discussed the more "appropriate" symptoms of ADHD. When we finally got the green light to begin treatment, we had already spent months trying various diets, ruling out food allergies and all of the other things that some people believe cause ADHD. We had tried everything and now, we were hoping medication would help.

Medication did help! But, it took several months of testing before we found the right medication and dosage. We agreed that medication would not be tolerated if it turned Mark into a drone; we would only support medication if it allowed Mark to be more, "Mark." When we finally found the right treatment, angels hovered over our house and sang a glorious chorus!

We noticed stark improvements overnight. But, within only a few weeks the mood swings were reduced by 80%. We also worked with a counselor and within a couple of months, the mood swings were gone altogether. We had our Mark back!

Mark still had struggles with dyslexia, but he was excelling in his new school! (We pulled him from the previous school, immediately following the threat of child abuse charges.) He was now more cooperative over making healthy food choices and happy to get involved in sports and other healthy, physical activities.

I've since learned that his mood swings were caused by serious anxiety. The anxiety was fueled by two factors. First, he was on sensory overload in his previous school; too many bodies, too much noise, and too much commotion for him to effectively cope. Second, I eventually discovered he had been treated poorly by two teachers and the principal. Just days before the infamous meeting, I witnessed an incident while volunteering for Mark's class.

Anxiety, it turns out, is a "kissing cousin" of ADHD; the biology of ADHD and anxiety are nearly identical. I never realized how debilitating anxiety can be, but it explains why Mark was not having outbursts at school; he was riddled with fear! At home, where he was more comfortable, fear did not suppress his anxiety. Without fear to "cork" it, the cycle of anxiety spun through his brain like thread in a sewing machine on full throttle!

It has now been 14 months since Mark's treatment took hold and I'm happy to report that he's a happy eight year-old, thriving in school, and thrilled that we are able to help other children benefit from the challenges he experienced.

I could not be more happy for him, but one question has haunted me since we encountered our first road-block, two-and-a-half years ago...

If This Is Happening to Us, What Do Other Parents Do?

We had every resource at our disposal. I am a professional educator on a national platform. My husband is a nationally board-certified teacher and was a highly respected teacher in the same school district as my son. In fact, he won a teaching award from our county two nights after the principal's attack.

My mother is a physician who consistently supported our concerns, encouraged me to keep fighting, and assured me that I wasn't crazy. With my husband's health benefits, we had unlimited access to healthcare. In theory, we had everything we needed to push forward. Yet, we were met with unimaginable roadblocks on the path towards healing.

Over and over again, I would say to my husband, "I am using every ounce of my professional energy to help Mark. Every step of the way, I've had a 'plan B.' If something doesn't work, I'm on to the next thing. I don't know when we'll find an answer, but I know how to keep fighting. What do parents do who don't have our training or our resources?" I still shudder to think about it.

Throughout the whole ordeal, I had this great sense that I was supposed to be learning from it. It was like I had two personalities; one was the worried, anxious, sleep-less mom. The other was the quiet observer, soaking up every morsel of information and every emotion, knowing that God was testing me for a reason.

It is hard to describe how both personalities could co-exist in my heart; that I could experience such intense pain (picture Belle's father, lying face down, in the cold snow), yet have such a strong conviction that it was all happening for a good reason.

I've already seen our trials come to a positive fruition in at least a dozen close friends and family who have directly benefited from lessons we learned. Just this morning, a friend sent a Facebook message, asking for information to help her ADHD son. It's becoming a daily occurrence, just within my personal network.

Last week, ADDitude Magazine invited me to sit on their Expert Panel and host a webchat about school-related ADHD issues. Over 200 questions came in so fast and furious, that I couldn't possibly read them all during the one-hour webinar. I finally read through all of them this weekend, while riding in the car with my family.

After reading only a few dozen questions, I put my head back in angst for these parents and vented to my husband, "These questions are just heart-breaking; there is so much pain here! So many people don't understand ADHD and are fighting the stigma, children are accused of being lazy, parents aren't able to get help and think they are crazy... this is just awful!"

Suddenly, Mark piped in from the backseat, "Yeah, but Mom, you did such a good job of getting me through all of this terrible stuff; you can help them, too!" Wow! There is nothing like an endorsement from your child, especially after walking through the storms we've shared together. He knows this has been my goal, all along. But, I sure do love how he tries to cheer his mama up!

Moving Forward

Tomorrow, I'm flying off to San Francisco for the largest ADHD conference of the year, hosted by CHADD. I'm bringing along information on the ADHD Circuit, a model I developed to help people better understand ADHD. I'm hoping I can find a way to get it into people's hands.

Dozens of people have already told me that this model has "changed their life" and "finally" helped them understand ADHD. It is 100% scientifically accurate. The question is, will people who've dedicated decades of their life to researching and understanding ADHD be willing to embrace this viewpoint?

I'm about to find out! I'm not speaking, since the call for speakers closed months ago, long before I had gathered enough research or tested my model thoroughly. I am not buying a booth since I am not planning to sell anything. So, I will quietly talk to people and see what happens. Wish me luck... for the sake of all the children and adults who are fighting this seriously misunderstood condition. ADHD can be a great asset, once people understand it and learn how to harness it.

Parental Alienation: Who's Best Interest?   What to Do If Your Child Is Being Bullied   November Is National Adoption Awareness Month   

Eyes Half Shut

Out of the darkness of a deep sleep and a 4th floor condo, which overlooked the beaches of a West Palm Florida, my oldest son, age 12, and I walked down the bright lit hallway with our eyes half shut.

Early as it was, it was the last morning of a wonderful vacation and we were determined to watch a spectacular sunrise. We made our way through the resort, out the backside of the pool area, and down a 50 yard boardwalk to the beach.

We picked out two beach chairs, laid out our towels and settled into the darkness staring out at the Atlantic Ocean - our eyes half shut. We were two of a handful of early risers, out to witness the beginning of a new day. There were no bad seats at this event!

The sky began to change from black to various shades of reds, pinks, oranges and then blues. The rhythm of the ocean waves rocked us into nature's majestic rhythmic beauty. The birds above sang a beautiful melody.

As the sun began to slowly lift itself above the horizon, I said to my son "Look, you can see the sun beginning to rise." He quickly said back to me "Yes I see it Dad, but the sun is not rising. The sun is stationary; it is the earth rotating which makes it look as if the sun is rising."

A TRUTH!

One of the goals of my writing has not only been to educate, but also meant to inspire growth. To grow as an individual requires us to change, and as I have learned through my life and my work (both joyfully & painfully), this is where the true challenge lies for all of us. This challenge disappears though, if we are clearly able to see and embrace, Truth.

For us to grow as parents, we must see Truth. For us to grow as a family, we must see Truth. For us to grow as students, we must see Truth. For us to grow as teachers, we must see Truth. For us to grow as a community, we must see Truth. For us to grow as a world, we must see Truth. For us to grow as a person, we must see Truth.

We ALL are living during the most dynamically changing transformational time in history. For us to grow we are going to have to change. To change we must take a close look at the paradigms (our understandings, our mind-sets, our beliefs) that we hold - some near and dear to us.

Some of what we have understood, our paradigms, may be wrong. Consider aspects of the world we have created. Other paradigms we hold may not necessarily be wrong, just incomplete. It is time to create, to expand, to explore and to embrace new paradigms. New paradigms and new understandings that will serve us, our families, our schools, our communities and the world, better.

Some will receive this as a "breath of fresh air", others as "hot air" or an uncomfortable agitation - depending on YOUR VIEWPOINT.

Yes, the earth spins on it's axis at over 1,000 mph, hurtling through space at over 67,000 mph, with us stuck to it by a gravity type super glue! For things are not always as they seem. Our logic would tell us that we should go flying off this big rock called earth, but we do not. This gives us a so called "sunrise" every 24 hours, the beginning of a new day. Each of us at any moment, can CHOOSE to "open our eyes, heart and mind and begin a New Day!" Shifting and/or expanding our paradigms, beliefs and our lives in a new direction for ourselves, our families, our community and the world.

Parental Alienation: Who's Best Interest?   What to Do If Your Child Is Being Bullied   November Is National Adoption Awareness Month   

It Takes Creativity To Be Smart

The ultimate goal of education is to be able to solve problems in the real world. For many young children this has meant entering the empirical world of hard core academic training at a very young age. Parents who fear their children will not be able to compete unless they learn reading and arithmetic early in life, are pushing their children into academics when they are very young. These parents believe that their children will fall behind in elementary school if they are not exposed to "drill and test" programs in their preschools.

The problem with this line of thought is that it is just plain wrong. Children who are forced to memorize rather than rationalize will be able to play back the information they received but will not be able to do anything creative with that information. Very young children are naturally curious and open to exploring the possibilities around them. If we fill them up with facts instead of encouraging creative exploration they will lose the ability to be creative with the facts we have given them. In other words it takes creativity to perform any kind of problem solving whether it is a math problem or a science problem.

Yet when we look at the preschool and elementary school world today we find fewer outlets for creativity and more "teach to test". We find less recess time, no art class, no music and no drama. For all the emphasis on teaching "the basics", I believe that academics are important, but studies show that this early emphasis on only hard core academics can result in poor academic performance when these children reach middle and high school. There are no studies that validate this push for early academics while there are studies that show the opposite.

If you want your child to be smart, you need your child to be creative. At these very young ages what your child needs is brain development activities not memorization. Young children need to learn how to recognize symbols and what those symbols stand for, to recognize the shapes of letters and numbers. Most importantly they need to understand that those letters and numbers are just symbols not reality. If they understand this their brains will be more open to thinking in abstract as well as factual reality.

As I said before it takes creativity to solve problems. It takes creativity to be comfortable facing a new problem and knowing how to approach solving it. If I know that 2 plus 2 =4 but I don't know how to imagine having 2 sticks and then picking up 2 more so I have 4 sticks, then it will be difficult for me to solve a "story problem" in my algebra class. The child needs to know the world is not black and white though the colors black and white do exist in the world. The child needs to know it is OK to take a risk and go outside the box intellectually, to solve a math problem by drawing on something learned while drawing or playing music. A creative child will sense the 'math' in art and music. A child who only knows that 2 plus 2 equals 4 will be able to work at McDonalds restaurant, but not at McDonalds.

Parental Alienation: Who's Best Interest?   What to Do If Your Child Is Being Bullied   November Is National Adoption Awareness Month