Waiting, Waiting, Waiting...

Magda Gerber

"By closely supervising our infants, by allowing them to do what they are capable of, by restraining ourselves from rescuing them too often, by waiting and waiting and waiting, by giving minimal help when they really need it, we allow our infants to learn and grow at their own time and in their own way. I believe that, no matter how much and how fast the world changes, a well-grounded, competent, and confident person is best equipped to adapt to it. This is our goal". 
~ Magda Gerber

Magda Gerber was a childhood educator & a passionate advocate for both infants and parents. Her goal was to make parenting easier and more enjoyable, while revolutionizing the way infants and toddlers are seen, interacted with and cared for. Her method was based on waiting and allowing children to learn and develop naturally at their own pace & treating infants with respect. 

Gerber was born in Hungary & received a degree in linguistics at the Sorbonne in France. Her inspiration came from pediatrician Emmi Pikler. Pikler's innovative theories on infant care were successfully tested during her tenure as medical director of a state-run orphanage in Budapest. Gerber incorporated many of Pikler's theories into her own philosophy, which she termed RIE (pronounced "wry") or Resources for Infant Educarers. 

Gerber emigrated with her family to the United States in 1957, and developed and directed the Pilot Infant Program at the Dubnoff School. In 1973 she began teaching parent/infant classes, and in 1980 she founded the RIE Center in Los Angeles.

The Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE) co-founded by the late Magda Gerber and Tom Forrest, M.D in 1978, is a non-profit membership organization aimed at raising the standards of infant care and education through parent and caregiver education.

The RIE philosophy is based on respecting infants as if they were fully functioning: spending quality time with them, learning their individual ways of communicating,  involving them in the things that concern them, being honest with them, not treating them like objects, and allowing them to try to solve a problem without adult interference.

The term educarer, which she also coined, refers to either a parent or other caregiver, and emphasizes the role that they play in both caring and educating.

I highly recommend her books. Whether you are a parent, yoga teacher, classroom educator or other child professional; whether you work with infants, children or teens, there is something for each of us to learn from Magda's approach.

Sources:
Magdagerber.org
Wikipedia
www.rie.org/about/our-founder

Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com  

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In Case You Missed It: Educational Toys

One of the things I miss about having young children is going into toy stores. I think I used to have more fun than the kids-trying the new items that came out each year.

I'm slightly removed from the toy loop as my kids have gotten older, but one of the traditions I started years ago is to purchase one toy or game for each of my kids to remind them to embrace that creative, playful part of us that lives on no matter how old we get. Last year it was Silly Putty (which I had once banned forever because some was left on a couch by my young sons and I sat on it and ruined an expensive pair of wool pants.)

One year I got a busy box for my then 21 year old son, because he liked to examine and touch everything he saw. (He still does). That was the same year I got a bag of extra Mr. Potato Head parts for my other son who worked in the culinary industry and was always cutting himself and getting more stitches. He liked to show off his scars. I gave him the extra parts that "Just in Case" he needed them. They both loved the gifts and had fun sitting there playing with them on Christmas morning

One of toys that I most use as a teacher would have to be the Hoberman Sphere (otherwise called the "Breathing Ball"). This versatile toy can  not only be used to teach children how their chest and lungs should properly expand and contract while breathing, but also is visually attractive & encourages concentration.

Each year at holiday time, I do my best to find gifts that are not only fun but functional & educational. Using the imagination through play is the best way for children learn.

I've compiled a short list of 9 favorite toys and games for kids this week: most are appropriate for sensory development and adaptable to special needs. I've included a description of the item, the skills each teaches and why its one of my favorites. These are all toys that I myself am familiar with and have used with my own kids, family members or students. I've included links to each so you can decide for yourself if its right for your child. This post is a bit longer than usual, but I wanted to give as much information as possible.

Feel free to add your own favorites in the comments section, along with a link if possible, or your own critique and tips if there is a toy listed here that you have purchased for your child. You can also list toys that you did NOT like-and tell us why. I'd like this post to become a growing resource for everyone's holiday gift giving.

Happy Shopping and Have a Play-full Weekend!

~Barbara

PS-At the very bottom of this post I've included a link to a news story I saw this week that saddened me. It shows little children in India being used for labor to make holiday ornaments. At this time of year, which should be a happy time for children, I urge you to please know what you are buying and where it came from. We've all bought the "cheap" ornaments at the dollar stores, and I know its impossible to know who made it and under what conditions,  but I know after seeing this I will be more conscious of what I am purchasing and the person who helped make that item.

I've also included a link to "Toys for Tots" and "Operation Christmas Child". I hope that if you are able, you will participate in their Holiday toy drives. This is a great way to teach kids about the spirit of giving, gratitude & helping each other out in times of need.




Hoberman Sphere - (Pictured at top): This unique and eye-catching Expanding Mini-Sphere is perfect for for all ages and abilities. You can spin, roll and suspend it. It can be used for breathing & self-calming exercises for kids. Expands from 5.5" to 12".  I love them because these spheres inspire children to be creative and inventive. They come in larger sizes as well as a glow in the dark version.

Snap Circuits- This toy offers children ages 8 and up, and exciting, hands-on introduction to electronics. The kit contains more than 30 color-coded, real circuit components that snap together & combine to create working circuit boards just like the ones found inside televisions, radios, and other electronic devices. Snap Circuits provide hands-on education in how electrical circuits work to run the everyday devices that we are familiar with. With 100 do-it-yourself projects & easy-to-follow instructions, this toy lends itself to an entertaining, concrete education on how electronics work. I love the creative aspects and the fun projects: a sound-activated switch, a musical doorbell, a voice-controlled lamp, a flying saucer, and a light police siren. Kids can experiment with things like electric switches, integrated circuits, digital circuits, fuses, and the transforming circuit sounds into other sounds.

Spot It ! - I love this game for younger children & preschoolers, ages 4-7. Its a fun way to improve visual perception,pattern recognition and practice matching. There are several versions of the "Spot It" games-the link provided goes to the "Animals" version. Colorful (& adorable) animals appeal to younger children. The round tin travels easily in backpack, pocket or in the car. Each card is imprinted with 6 different animals of varying sizes and there is only one single matching animal between any 2 cards. there are 5 different games that can be played competitively or not. I also love the adaptability of this game to ages and ability.

Huggtopus

Kimochis-Huggtopus Box Set -Kimochi (Key.Mo.Chee) means "feeling" in Japanese. Kimochis are small pillows with a feeling (happy, sad, silly, brave) printed on one side, and a matching facial expression on the other. This toy helps develop healthy social and emotional skills. Each character comes with a set of three feelings and a "How-To" Feel Guide. (there is also a Cat, a Bug,(caterpillar), a Dove, a Rose, and a Cloud.) Each of the characters have a pocket where Kimochis (or feelings) can be stored. I love the character identification that takes place: by using these characters, children can learn about & understand their emotions through puppetry and play. (Huggtopus is very affectionate and strong and sometimes gets a little carried away by her big friendly personality. She always means well but has to learn about boundaries; Bug is a caterpillar who is afraid of change. He is thoughtful cautious and has a secret dreams of flying...etc.) The Guide introduces the personalities of each character and offers parents tips and activities to help engage & strengthen relationships & connections. I also highly recommend the Kimochi Mini Mixed Bag (contains 12 different feelings) along with the Huggtopus or any of the characters. Well worth the money. 

Nature Kaleidoscope Making Kit - Kaleidoscopes are visually calming, due to  the symmetry of colors and shapes, and encourage communication between both sides of the brain if used equally on both eyes. (We are primarily dominant in one eye, just as we are with hands, feet, ears, etc. To determine which eye is dominant, place the scope on the table directly in front of your child, and let him pick it up and look through it. The eye he brings it up to is "dominant". Be sure that the non-dominant eye is also used for viewing to encourage development of the opposite side of the brain.) I love that this kit encourages creativity and allows you to make your own kaleidoscope over and over again using a variety of natural elements: dried flowers, polished gemstones, glass marbles and minerals. The kit contains parts for an 8 1/2" scope, two nature drawings to color as wraps and colored pencils.  Kids age 7-11 love to create and build things that are personal to them, and this is a perfect gift for filling that desire.

Therapy Ball Cards - 60 Fun therapy ball activities for kids age 4 and up to help keep them active & build body awareness, upper body and core strength, motor planning, visual perceptual skills, fine motor skills, and improve proprioceptive  input. There are four categories: Sitting Activities, Prone (Tummy) Activities, Standing and Other Activities, and Stretching Exercises. Each 3x5 card has an illustration of  activity & the back lists benefits, directions, and other tips for using therapy balls. I love that these cards are compact and come in a protective storage tin for easy transport. 

Kids Yoga Deck

Kids Yoga Deck - My all-time favorite yoga card deck for introducing yoga and exercise to kids. (I have used with ages 4 and up). It is useful, versatile, simple, visually attractive and colorful for kids & stimulates creativity and fun! With several categories, 50 playful poses and games, simple instructions and a durable storage box, these cards can be carried and used easily for a variety of purposes by yoga teachers, classroom para-educators, therapists and parents. Kids can also use the cards independently-even if they have limited language skills or can't read yet. 

Discovery Toys - Any and all of them.  I never met a Discovery Toy I didn't Like! Here is a link to my Facebook friend Arlene's page. Here is the Main Discovery Toys page.

Mr. Potato Head - A nostalgic favorite! Read this Pedia Staff article on the many therapeutic uses for Mr. Potato head and you will see why you should get one-or two-right now! 



*Please include your additions to this list below!


Enslaved Children Freed After Being Forced to Make Christmas Decorations

Toys For Tots Foundation

Operation Christmas Child




Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com

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Finding Your Something

Photo: noahsmiracle.blogspot.com/ 

I remember as a young first time parent, hearing other parents talking about their child's milestones: the first step, first word, riding a bike, etc. and I remember the anxiety that went along with it, wanting my son to be able to keep up with their peers. I didn't want him to be left behind.

He not only kept up with them-he went past them. He was an A student, taught himself to play several instruments, wrote music, won science fairs and scored a 1080 on SAT's in the 6th grade. He mastered and could play baseball, football, chess and hockey well. He was called 'gifted' and he hated that label. Classmates made fun of him constantly for any reason-for his clothes, for his insights- for being bright enough to hold intelligent conversations with adults. All he wanted to do was blend and "belong". 

While he loved to learn, the social aspects of life as a child/teen escaped him and he felt much more comfortable around adults rather than his peers. To cope, he developed an incredible sense of humor and refused to do homework. He almost did not graduate, not because he couldn't to the required work, but because he had so many missing homework assignments. He understood the concepts enough to get A's on tests, and felt homework was unnecessary busy work. He now has found his comfort zone writing & performing comedy sketches in and around Philadelphia. He has an incredible sense of empathy and forgiveness in spite of not being treated well by his peers as a young boy.

By the time my second son was 5, I had stopped stressing over development and just let him be himself. I offered a variety of opportunities to explore, and he did. He was intensely observant, always looking for the fun & was never afraid to try something new. A stocky child, he got teased for his weight. He also is gifted-in different ways than his brother. His gift is that he can size a person up almost instantly. The somewhat dark side of that gift is that he can find some one's weak spot and put them in their place if need be. This was and still is his way to cope. He has also taught himself to play several instruments (including a didgeridoo of all things) can cook just about anything under the sun (and never uses recipes) and has learned and managed every aspect of the restaurant business since he was 14.  He is self-taught, never went to college, and is one of the most naturally intelligent people I know. He is compassionate, but less forgiving then his brother. If you hurt or betray him or his family, you don't exist anymore. With him, you get one chance and that is all-he epitomizes efficiency.

By the time my daughter came along, 15 years after her brothers, I was a much more relaxed mom-(or maybe just a tad bit tired!) My daughter has taken what I thought I knew after almost 30 years of parenting and shown me a very different picture. She is kind and compassionate-creative and funny- but is a spitfire when she is lied to or betrayed. She is full of energy, exploration and enthusiasm and is still finding her gifts and trying them on to see how they fit.

These three children are so completely different, that if you stand them next to each other, they do not remotely resemble each other in personality or physical appearance. Each one is a reflection of how they have learned to see the world; Each one has gifts that will continue to help them learn; Each one will accomplish many things in their own time and will hopefully use those gifts to help to make the world a better place.They have all taught me something about myself, and this has helped me do my job better.

I have a motto that goes: "Not all children can do all things-but all children can do something."

All kids -and adults - have their unique "Something" and I think one of the most important gifts we can give our children - whether its our own kids or the students we work with - no matter their label- is to allow them as many opportunities as we possibly can, to play, create, explore - find (and unwrap) their "something".  

I love watching kids as they are engaging in their self-guided learning: they pick things up if they want to, examine them to the degree they are interested, use them in ways they were and were not intended, and put them down when they are finished. Its our job to make the introduction to concepts through engaging, fun activities -and sometimes to the gifts they don't realize they have yet- and show them how it works. Then, let them go with it. 

A parent is a child's first teacher-and as teachers we are inspiring them to discover-rather than imposing knowledge on them. Play & creative activities are the best ways to do this. Respecting their boundaries, allowing them to set the pace, and even letting them fail, gives them the confidence to explore that which truly interests them, and to "unwrap" their own "something" as they become ready to acknowledge and use it.

Time for some sharing & bragging: What are some of the incredible "somethings" that your children posses? Please tell us about them by leaving a comment below. Be as detailed or as brief as you like!

Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com 



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Protect Your Child's Bone Health

Photo: Schoolhouse Rock-

           Them Not-so-Dry Bones

              playrific.com

We know that new bone cells are constantly growing-newer ones are replacing weaker ones every few months. In fact, we get an entirely brand new skeleton about every 10 years.  So everything we let our children eat and and every activity we encourage them to engage in will contribute in a big way to their overall skeletal health.

We also know that as we age, we lose some of that bone density and strength. Its a lesser known fact that low bone density and osteoporosis are occurring more frequently in children and teens. Less active lifestyles; poor nutrition; and decreased exposure to the sun - an important source of vitamin D, which helps calcium absorption in the digestive tract- have all  made children more vulnerable to fractures and bone loss.  

In addition, research indicates that darker skinned children tend to be at a higher risk for vitamin D deficiency, due to their higher level of melanin in the skin. Melanin actually blocks absorption of sunlight, preventing the proper absorption & synthesis of vitamin D which can in turn affect bone health as well.

Other factors affecting bone development are metabolic & congenital disorders, medications, smoking (second-hand), kidney or neuro-muscular disease, bowl disorders, general poor diet/eating habits, and prolonged immobilization.

So how can you help protect your child's bones?

[This article and other nutrition related posts have been moved 

to our FoodLogique Blog. Please use the link to continue reading.]

Contact: 

bodylogique@yahoo.com

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