Astounding Language

In my last article, Indigos-The New Breed of Kids!, I introduced you to the world of the Indigos. I described their unique characteristics, and some of the challenges that they face coming into this world. If you resonate to the Indigo energy, wonderful! The trick now is figuring out how to BE an Indigo, amidst this rapidly changing world, as well as how parents and educators can better understand the Indigos among us.

Here is a ’small’ shortlist of tips and strategies for parents, caregivers and educators:

1. Show them respect.

Indigos and even non-Indigos, especially children, are wise beings in small bodies and age. And treating them as equals is necessary for their well-being and process through life. If you don’t show it towards them or talk down to them, they will know it, resent it, and won’t show it to you. They come from the place of understanding that all beings are equal. And it’s important to acknowledge them in return.

2. Be fair and honest with your communication and behaviour towards them.

Be direct in your communication without any guilt trips or manipulation tactics. Indigos are very intuitive and can sniff out deceitful behaviour or superficiality. It’s like a Beagle in an airport. You can’t put one over on them. So don’t even bother trying. Indigos are intelligent and usually show great maturity in comparison to their age. Try to give as complete and honest explanations for everything.

3. Always explain the Why’s to everything that you say and do.

Indigos do not accept the notion of blindly ‘doing’ things. ‘Because I said so’ will not work. They always need to know and understand why they are being asked to do something, and what the underlying purpose is. Otherwise it’s meaningless to them. So always explain, even in a simple form will do.

4. Acknowledge their abilities, sensitivities and knowingness.

Being intuitive and sensitive on many levels is normal for an Indigo. They are naturally tapped into multi-levels of awareness. It is part of who they are, and they consciously know it and show it. Do not discount or negate what comes out of their mouths. It is not in their imagination. Acknowledge and accept the ‘normalcy’, despite the fact that it may run contrary to what you believe or feel.

5. Be patient with their desire to be contrary.

This can be by far one of the most challenging. Far too often, having a child that is constantly ‘contrary’ can be misconstrued as ‘talking back’, ‘argumentative’ or ‘difficult’. To an Indigo, the purpose of their ‘contrary’ nature is not to be difficult, but actually reveal different angles or sides to a situation. So be patient, open and receptive. You just might end up seeing something new.

But what about older Indigos? Here are several coping strategies directed towards teens and adults:

1. Know you are here for a purpose.

Where you are going in your life may not totally be apparent at this time in your life. Being Indigo is about process, which includes awakening to it and transitioning from the recognition and into the active Be-ing of it. Your purpose and reasons for being here unfolds over time, and you have much to contribute. While there may be many, and I mean many, moments of frustration especially since your purpose may be not apparent, know that you need to hang in there. The Indigo process is like the bulb in the ground, you may not see the flower yet, but that does not mean nothing is happening underneath.

2. Your strong emotions ie. anger, frustration are often the impetus to change.

I liken this to the bowling ball analogy. In order for the ball to roll, you need a force behind to push it and get it going. Strong emotions are normal, however, understand that the expression of those emotions can be used to effect change and get something happening. It is equally important to bring yourself into balance as much as possible because the continuous roller coaster of emotion can be taxing. Take a walk, surround yourself in nature, meditate, use aromatherapy, and/or doing something creative. These are all effective in centering yourself, especially when you are waiting for the next tidal wave of emotion to hit.

If you desire more clarity, expanded list of strategies and coping mechanisms, do not hesitate to contact me. Next issue: Post-Indigos: The Crystal Kids
Copyright 2005

Olena Gill is a spiritual-life coach and owner of Indigo-Crystal Coaching Services in Errington, BC. She is the author of the forthcoming books, “The Indigo Survival Guide”, and other personal development topics. You may contact her at http://www.indigocrystalcoach.com.

Why are more people, especially parents not outraged?

I call it SMUT - Selling Made Under Titillation.

It seems that more and more corporations are chasing the dollar to the demise of the family. Commercials with little human decency shown during prime-time family hour have become the norm.

Have you seen them?

* As she flosses her nether regions with skimpy attire, Paris Hilton eats a Carl’s Jr hamburger while washing a Bentley with her body. Word is that sister company Hardee’s will be airing a similar commercial soon.

* In a commercial for the franchise, “Jack In The Box”, comments are made about the things Jack is giving away in his latest promotion. A man reads the “giveaways” and comments on how Jack is giving away everything but his wife. He then states, “Oh, what I would do for a night with her”.

* One of the latest Burger King commercials borrows from The Wizard of Oz and features Hootie of, “Hootie and The Blowfish” fame and Brooke Burke from E-TV’s “Wild On”. After seeing so many “shaking tushes” on this “Yellow Brick Road”, you are left wondering exactly what you are able to “have it your way” at Burger King.

SMUT is everywhere; primetime commercials, primetime TV sitcoms, radio talk shows, music lyrics and billboards on the side of the highway.

SMUT has become a kind of “second hand smoke”. Just like smoking, it is being thrown in our face from all angles. Its encroachment into our lives is creating moral cancer in our families even when one doesn’t personally indulge.

Before you scream censorship at me, visit your favorite restaurant. All that food may be beautiful, but if several people came over and started shoving their entrees in your face, it would become a whole new issue.

I have an idea. Why not give it a try? The next time you step into Carl’s Jr for a burger, ask them to drop it into the nearest mop bucket. After all, isn’t that supposed to be a great way to enjoy one of their burgers?

Perhaps it’s not just a coincidence that SMUT spelled backwards is TUMS.

Maybe if advertisers see parents reaching for a Tums instead of reaching for what they are selling, they will be more considerate with how they spend their advertising dollars.

(C)Copyright 2005 advice-for-lifetime-relationships.com
by Stanley J. Leffew
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!

Stanley J. Leffew is the Author of, “How To Be Wanted For a Lifetime of Nights and Not Just a Night of a Lifetime”. His website is based on this same theme. Find out for yourself why leading-with-the-body in life and relationships feeds desire but fails to satisfy the longing of the heart for love, companionship and intimacy by visiting http://advice-for-lifetime-relationships.com.

Many working families choose a commercial or individual day care center to care for their child during the workday. We’ve listed important aspects of a daycare center’s environment to evaluate when making your choice:

Staff to Child Ratio. This is the number of children each staff member is responsible for. Most states regulate the minimum number of staff to child ratio. This will vary based on your state and the ages of the children. An average guideline follows, but check with your state department for what to expect in your area.

• An infant room will have one to four or six staff to child ratio
• A young toddler room will have a one to six or eight staff to child ratio
• For 2s and 3s room, an eight to ten staff to child ratio is average
• Children 4 and 5 years old average a one to ten staff to child ratio

Diaper Changing. There should be a dedicated area for diaper changing, equipped with sanitary diaper pad covering, disposable gloves, wipes and diapers and a dedicated waste receptacle for waste that is emptied on a regular schedule.

Sick Policy. Most daycare centers will require that a child sent home with a fever or after a bout of nausea or diarrhea be kept home for 24 hours. While it inconvenient for working parents, it is the safest practice to prevent contagious illnesses from spreading within a classroom. Some centers may have a separate infirmary and onsite nurse or share the operating costs with other centers in the area.

Discipline, Biting and Dismissal Policies. Find out how the center handles discipline and what the process is for misbehavior that affects other children, such as biting or hitting. As if there is an escalation process, what the coaching and dismissal policies are. You will want to know both sides in the event your child is the aggressor or the victim.

Feeding. Some centers serve prepared food and some have families bring lunches and provide morning and afternoon snacks. Find out if the daycare providers will heat up food in your child’s lunches, if there is a refrigerator available, if they provide milk and filtered water for drinking and what kinds of snacks are served.

Supervised Lunch and Snacktime. The center you choose should support your nutrition preferences and provide healthy options served in a clean, supervised environment. Staff should use the opportunity to teach manners and model good eating habits. Ask about the center’s policy on sharing food at the lunch table if your child has allergies.

Toilet Training. Some centers will help potty train your child, others require that the child be fully potty trained by a specific age. Your center should reinforce good bathroom habits, including wiping, flushing and thoroughly washing hands. Some centers also add brushing teeth to the regular routine.

Napping. Most young children benefit from regularly scheduled nap times during the day. Most centers will have young toddlers take a nap in the morning and one in the afternoon. Older toddlers and preschool age children may have one name in the afternoon after lunch. Ask whether you are responsible for bringing bedding or if it is provided. In the latter case, your child should have his own dedicated linens that are laundered each week.

Parent Visits. Parent visits should be welcomed throughout the day, whether announced or unannounced. There should be observation windows available for you to observe your child’s day or you should be welcomed into your child’s classroom.

Schedule. Hours of operation often play a key role in whether a center is acceptable simply by default of being available when you need them to be. Some centers have two tuition schedules, one for standard daycare (i.e. 9am - 4pm) and extended daycare (i.e. 7am - 6pm). Ask what the late policy is, whether you will have to pay on pick-up, if that payment must be in cash, etc.

Safety and Peace of Mind. Does the center have controlled access, with locked doors after the usual drop-off times? There should be a sign-in/sign-out process to account for each child. When you register, you should be asked to supply emergency contact information for yourself and partner, two people who can be contacted and take your child if either of you are not available. Some centers will also ask for an out-of-state emergency contact in the event of a regional emergency, like an earthquake.

Emergency Plan. If your area is prone to natural disasters like flooding or earthquakes, ask about your center’s emergency plan - how they will notify parents, where their evacuation location is, if there is a lockdown procedure.

Daily Status Reports. A daily status report will give you detailed information about your child’s day, including feeding times, diaper changing information and activities during the day. This is especially important for infants and young toddlers.

Classrooms. Children love rooms that are bright, cheerful and full of visual stimulation created by creative artwork, children’s projects and family pictures.

Classroom curriculum. Each classroom should be equipped with age appropriate activities, equipment and toys to stimulate your child’s development in fine/gross motor activities, sensory and cognitive skills, language development, number concepts, music and art.

Bonuses and Special Touches

Emailed Progress Reports and Photos. Many daycare centers are now emailing daily progress reports with information about activities and care routines like eating, napping and diapering to parents. Some centers also take photos of your child during the day and post them to an intranet you can access securely with a username and password.

Extra Curricular Activities. On-site enrichment classes are usually an additional charge to the monthly tuition and can take place during regular school time or after school so parents can partake in the experiences with the child. Activities can include dance, gymnastics, martial arts, Spanish, basketball and computers.

About the Author

For more great information about expecting and parenting, visit MomRecommended.com, a site for moms by moms. Annie Valle is a freelance writer, web designer and a mom. You’ll find product reviews, recipes, baby names, free projects and more, when you visit http://www.momrecommended.com.