• an explanation of the ideal development of the nervous system
• the factors that, when taken altogether, probably contribute to the changes in the sub- and unconscious nervous system;
• an explanation of how we can measure these developments in our lives with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
• preventive measures that will help foster growth in babies and children;
• games, activities, exercises, and more that serve to encourage growth in the sub- and unconscious nervous system, making actually LIVING life so much easier!
Here’s the first entry, an overview of I’ll be writing about:
We have a problem. Long-time teachers and grandparents say that not only are today’s children are radically different from long ago, but so are adults. Adults and children alike struggle with emotions, attention, learning problems and more. Anxiety is now a huge issue for even very young children.
The first Brain Gym class I ever taught was in Meadow Grove, Nebraska. It had some of the most insightful people I’ve met. Their first and biggest question was why they were seeing so many children with difficulties? Previously where there MIGHT have been one child in the building with nervous system disruption, now there were more than one per classroom.
They’re right: my mother’s 60-pupil elementary class in the 1930’s was generally fine, she said, but there was one kid in the class above hers who had a hard time paying attention and behaving. There weren’t any problems with classroom management despite the enormous class size. Today’s world is very different: AD/HD, sensory processing, autism spectrum, anxiety, and learning issues are rampant. What has changed?
There’s a simplified explanation for the cause of so many people’s struggles. Multiple factors in modern lifestyles have disrupted the development foundation of our nervous systems. Our need to compensate for the resulting lack of development takes resources from our conscious functioning. Everything from sensory processing, emotional control, attention and focus, stress, memory, learning and more are harder to do well.
Infant mortality has plummeted. We’re saving so many more babies with the advances in prenatal care and NICU, some of whom will go on to have developmental issues. One of my mantras is: first, you save the life. THEN you worry about everything else.
The technology so universally cherished today has dampened sensory input and changed the electrical and chemical environment in which we live. Those obvious changes are welcomed, but the less-obvious ones, the side effects, can cause problems.
Preventive measures are generally choosing to use less or a lower level of technology. By no means am I suggesting we reject it altogether! But if we’re aware of the effects it may have on us, we may choose to use it selectively or less often.
Treatment frequently involves fun. Games, activities, and exercises can be solo or with someone. It can be a more passive stimulation but generally feels good to do, in that your sub- or un-conscious nervous system welcomes input that will help it grow and reduce stress overall