Practice Makes...More Practice!

My daughter's dance recital was this past weekend. The kids & staff did a fantastic job! All the care, creativity & hours of preparation & practice were obvious in each and every performance.

A few days before the recital, my daughter was getting frustrated because she could not execute this one particular movement to her own liking. She remarked to me that: "After the months and months of practicing, I should have this perfect!" 

I used a comparison that even though she has learned her multiplication tables & spelling words, that she still needs to practice them or she will forget them, like she has in times past over the summer break. She agreed with me. We talked about her dance classes and my yoga programs being the same in that respect. Its not a one time activity. Its an ongoing thing. Its about building skills slowly until we are confident enough & proficient enough to perform the activity. There is always practice. Practice does not make perfect. It makes more practice.

It may not be a very popular opinion, but I think that as much as we plan & move towards perfection and we strive for perfection-we never actually reach it. There is always something more to explore and learn no matter how much we know. That is why practice makes more practice.

As with any activity or discipline, yoga, karate, Tai Chi, cooking, writing, dance, music, art or competitive sports, the ones that excel on their fields continue to practice even after they have 'mastered' their skills. Even those who are considered 'gifted' commit every day to getting better at what they love or at what they need to do for their careers or well being. Each skill builds on a previous one, and leads to a new one to be acquired. This continues indefinitely or for as long as we'd like it to.

I see practice as so much more than becoming good at one particular thing & the refining & retaining of those skills;  I see it as as process of self-awareness & growth. Its an important, character building, conscious step for children to take as they begin to feel rewarded, self confident & successful  in academics, sports, arts and relationships. It can mean the difference in meeting-and exceeding-their goals & dreams. Things they (and you) thought they could never do can be achieved through consistent practice.

As the school year draws to a close, its good to keep kids busy in activities they love or need to build skills in. Its tempting to slack off now as the excitement of 'summer freedom' comes, but keeping the mind, body and senses alert and sharp encourages fuller participation in activities & Life experiences & makes the transition to the new school year in the fall much easier. For kids, practice does not require long hours of tedious drills. Rather, make it unique and fun, whatever the activity. One topic or skill at a time for 10-15 minutes a few times a day. That's all that is needed.

Without consistent use of skills, we will lose what we are building on. This is especially true for children in ESY or receiving school based therapy, that lose those services for a time in the summer. Its frustrating for parents & a challenge for students to build those skills back to the level they were at prior to the end of school. As parents it is up to us to take control of the situation & for a few minutes a day find the fun in the practice & keep those skill levels consistent and where they need to be.

My daughter is learning in a very real way that practice does not guarantee that we suddenly become an expert and have learned all we need to learn. She is learning that it means that we are committed to our own personal growth & always striving towards our goals; becoming, doing & being our very best.
I hope that one day, she will be able to look back and appreciate how far she has come. I know I do.



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Tips to Keep Kids Hydrated

I talk to parents & educators alot about hydrating children-especially on these high heat days that we will be experiencing for the rest of this week. Most of us initially think "water" when we hear the word 'hydration' but its really more than just drinking water. Proper hydration replaces the salts and electrolytes lost during heat, sweating or exertion.

Electrolytes are substances that carry electrical charges such as sodium, potassium, or chloride. They are needed to balance the flow of water molecules across cell membranes, as well as other functions of kidneys, brain, muscles & heart. It can cause poor performances & loss of body weight. Just a 2% drop in weight due to sweating & other forms of water loss, can lead to a 20 per cent drop in the functional capacity of muscles & brain. Hydration must be an ongoing process and not used just as an intervention when signs and symptoms are present. By the time symptoms are present, dehydration has already begun.

When you rehydrate with only water, this can actually 'dilute' the electrolytes left in the body and decrease the ratio of salts to water, so its important to ALSO replace the salts lost by eating foods with a high water & mineral content. Water along with, *fruit juices or Gatorade, a handful of salted nuts (especially dry roasted almonds), fresh fruits (especially kiwi, grapefruit & watermelon-all high in potassium & vitamin C)  & fresh vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes)  are the best choices.  (Fruit juice & Gatorade are only helpful if there is water to dilute & carry the sugar/potassium & other ingredients to the body tissues. Otherwise the large molecules will not pass through & hydrate the cell membranes. This puts additional strain on the kidneys. A general rule of thumb is to drink equal amounts of each, such as one bottle of water for every bottle of fruit juice or Gatorade.)

Adults & children have different hydration needs. Children will dehydrate before they feel the sensation of thirst. For children with limited language skills and medical conditions, its extremely important to observe your students & children & hydrate with water & the above mentioned snacks at intervals throughout the day-every day and especially when its hot and humid.

The first signs of dehydration are thirst, decreased saliva, and trouble swallowing. If more electrolytes than water are lost, the cells will pull in more water, and the thirsty sensation will go away. Later, tissues will begin to shrink, including the skin and eyes. There may be a mild fever as the heart puts out less volume of blood. Perspiration decreases or stops, driving up the body temperature. Urine output falls, and the kidneys cannot filter wastes from the blood. At this point shock can occur that may be irreversible. Water and electrolytes must be given in the correct proportions.

There are many factors that influence how much hydration an adult or child may need on a given day, so the amounts can very. However, you can use these amounts below as a guide:

• Children aged 1-3 years: about 4 cups
• Children aged 4-8 years: about 5 cups
• Girls aged 9-18 years: about 7-8 cups
• Boys aged 9-18 years: about 8-11 cups

*Reference: Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference

Signs & Symptoms:

• No tears
• Dry mouth and tongue
• Sunken eyes
• Dry Grayish skin
• Sunken soft spot on an infant’s head
• Decreased urination
• Confusion/Coordination problems
• Headache

If your child experiences any of these symptoms, contact your health care provider.

Tips:

• Have children drink fluids before heading out to play, and call them in regularly for beverage breaks.
• Offer beverages that your child will enjoy. Several studies show that children consume 45% to 50% more liquid when it’s flavored.
• Remember that many foods have high water content and contribute to total fluid intake. Fruits, vegetables, soups and even Popsicles are all high in water and are good sources of hydration.
• Pack several beverages & hydrating snacks in your child’s backpack and lunchbox before school & other activities.

More Information:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/er/dehydration.html





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Gratitude & Attitude for This Body

I woke up this morning and noticed my ankles were sore. I asked myself :  "What the heck did I do yesterday?".  As I started moving around  I felt the sunburn on my arms and shoulders & I remembered yesterday's long day on my feet, out in the sun at my daughter's class trip to a Civil War Reenactment. I started to hear that self-pitying whiny complaining voice in my head that we all tune into into from time to time, so after a minute I stopped and realized that its not my body's fault. I should have used more sunscreen and I need to get a better quality sneaker to stand/walk in all day.

'Harriet Tubman' & Lauren

There were several children with walkers and in wheelchairs there yesterday, all having fun.  I however was physically able to stand on my feet all day-and in addition, I had a great time with the kids, especially my daughter. (We met "Harriet Tubman" and learned how to weave lace, march in formation and of course, shoot a cannon. ) I am grateful for the whole experience! Even the sore ankles & sunburn.

So today, as your day begins, and every day from now on, I want you to take a moment each morning -when you feel those aches & pains and recognize that complaining attitude in your head- and thank your body, no matter how it feels or what condition its in. If you have health challenges, then thank the parts of your body that are healthy.  If it sounds silly, or is a difficult thing for you to do, bear with me & do it anyway. Here is why:

We tend to focus so much on what our bodies cannot do-on our pains & limitations. We constantly remind ourselves that we are 'getting old', we ache, are out of breath & can't remember things. But think for a moment of what an amazing engineering masterpiece our body really is at any age: for starters, more than 200 bones that are stronger than concrete, that hold us upright, 600 muscles that can move in any direction and speed we want and a pump that circulates life supporting blood 1,000 times a day through more than 60,000 miles of blood vessels. We have a brain that controls it all and has the capacity to process 400 billion impulses through 45 miles of nerves in one single second!

Science tells us that our bodies also have the amazing power to regenerate all cells & tissues including cardiac & nerve fibers. With every single breath, and at every moment, renewal is going on somewhere in the body or brain.

Every single hour, one billion cells die and new ones are made to replace them. We get a new stomach and brand new skin every month. Our 206 skeleton bones renew every three months. Our liver will be brand new in about 6 weeks. In fact, in just one year's time, about 98% of all our body cells die and are replaced. Every single thing we eat, think and do, at every moment, (especially what we think) contributes in some way to our physical and emotional health so that we literally are not the same person we were a year or even a week ago.

Reflecting on just these few feats makes it clear that our bodies deserve a little-no- rather much gratitude. We were designed to experience health, movement & vitality. Health is our natural state of being, regardless of our situation or abilities, everyone can obtain health to the degree they desire, starting with gratitude then working on attitude. We have the ability & unlimited opportunity to direct our growth & our health at every moment.

For children who are developing in every way by leaps and bounds, as well as those who have delayed development due to medical or other conditions, we as parents & educators can be encouraged to know that their bodies are renewing at even a faster rate. The more we nurture their growth with healthy ideas & thoughts, nourishing natural foods, pure hydrating water, varied movement and unconditional love, the better the environment for their bodies & brains to grow more healthy.

We need to start having gratitude and appreciation for our own bodies first so that our children can learn from us. We are the example they will follow and teaching them health habits that begin with the way we think & perceive our own bodies-as naturally renewable instead of limited by physical or cognitive conditions- is where we start.

Our thoughts and comments about our health-or lack of it-become their thoughts, and that becomes their belief and ultimately their wellness programming. This programming will become their habit. Their habits will determine how far they move forward or are left behind in becoming their optimal healthiest selves. Every adult & child deserves to reach their highest, healthiest potential, and it starts with our own attitude.

For the last 10 years, I have enjoyed teaching health in the form of adaptive yoga, to children with challenges & their siblings, families & peers. By using stories, movement & art we engage & calm & ensure that all kids - of all abilities - move all those muscles; strengthen all those bones & use all possible nerve connections to learn & reach their highest, healthiest potential.

When designing this program I wanted it to be fun, something that could fit seamlessly into any schedule or environment and something that everyone could enjoy. The purpose of  "adaptive" yoga, or dance or sports is exactly that: to adapt it enough to include every one who wants to participate, so they can enjoy the many physical and mental benefits of that activity.

 Special Olympians from Perkiomen Valley

If you have ever watched a Special Olympics or a Miracle League game or adaptive dance recital you will see that the children participating are not focused on the limits they have. They just are happy to be doing what they are doing! Having fun, playing, moving-pure gratitude in the form of happiness! That is how each one of us needs to be, especially those of us who are healthy and able-bodied.

I encourage you to explore your own attitudes about your body and your health and notice what messages you are sending your students & children, especially children with adaptive needs. Be aware of your attitudes, have gratitude for your own abilities as well as those of your students & children & guide them to enjoy exploring as many forms of healthy adaptive movement as they want and as they can as the summer begins!


More Information:

BodyLogique Adaptive Movement for Kids:

Hope Dances Adaptive Dance:

Special Olympics NJ:

The Miracle League

Philadelphia Center for Adaptive Sports

 Dorothy Hamill Adaptive Skating

Surfer's Healing-A foundation for Autism
 
 
 
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