The importance of art...can it help ADHD children?

What are the benefits of art?

I have always been very interested in art and drawing, and when I had my little boy for some reason he was just not interested in art at all - that's all changed but more on that later!

Art is an incredibly powerful tool for children and has heaps of benefits, here are some:

• It develops their fine motor skills as well as muscle tone in the upper body;
• They can express themselves creatively and there is loads of research that shows the art helps stimulate language - it is a type of language which helps them to talk about their world;
• Art helps children to discover and learn - think about colours, shapes, textures and cognitive thinking to name a few;
• Art is a great emotional release;
• The physical movement of art can be very calming.

There has also been a lot of research into the other benefits of art...

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What comes to mind when you think of the term “empty nest”?

Generally, the term is used when “children” grow up and leave home to find their own way and make a life for themselves. They become adults, with their own ideals and dreams to pursue, and so they set off in search of that elusive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

As the parents left behind – we find ourselves engulfed in silence… empty rooms… and too much time on our hands…

Of course our little birds often return in search of food, shelter and advice – and so the nest is rarely completely abandoned. But there’s a different kind of empty nest which is seldom talked about….

At the age of 29, my husband and I found ourselves faced with an empty nest…

The difference?  Our little bird was never coming home again.

Losing a loved one is NEVER easy. How can it be? How does one even begin to consider facing life without someone who has been such an integral part of your existence – who holds your very heart…?

You know how “life” doesn’t come with a hand book? Well, neither does Death…

There is no right way or wrong way to grieve. No miracle cure for your broken heart. No instant relief from the pain that consumes you. No easy way to pass the time… Nothing to fill that empty feeling.

My Faith is very firm. And having been born into a family of Believers, it was almost easy to give my life to Lord when I came to realise what that meant. And so I do believe that it was my Faith that carried me through the darkest road that I have ever walked.

We were on our way back to Cape Town from Port Elizabeth, travelling on the N2 when a bakkie made an illegal U-turn in front of us, and we, driving at 100km/hour – in a bakkie as well – hit the other vehicle head on side.

We never knew what hit us. My 2 year old son was strapped into the seat belt with me but his tender, young body couldn’t handle the impact of the crash, and so his neck had broken in the accident. We both walked away with various injuries but none as bad as the cold realisation that we never see our son again –

I was admitted into hospital for almost a week - then I had to return home to my empty nest.  My mom-in-law was Super Awesome!! She had packed up all of my son’s things – sparing me further heartache.  That process helped me a lot – but like I said before – there are no set rules… and what works for one, may not work for another. My psychologist believes in “grief-work” and all I wanted to do was escape… from everything and everyone.  And I did… Most days I would simply sleep reality away. But at some point I had to stop running, and I had to face the fact. No matter how you choose to handle grief – whether it be head on – guns blazing; or quietly withdrawing; or seeking professional help; or hiding from the world… at some point you simply have to “accept”… And THAT is the hardest part of all.

Earlier I said that we would never see our son again, but I don’t truly believe that in my heart. I also mentioned before that my Faith is very firm and so I know and believe that my son is in Heaven and that I will one day be re-united with him.

I say again -  losing a loved one is the hardest thing in the world – but I found that if you believe in something, in Someone – Someone greater than you – greater than anything you have every known – then I believe that it makes that painful journey a little easier to bear.

They say that God never gives us more than we can handle. And my answer to that is: God gives me way too much credit, lol. But if He brings you to it…. I guarantee you that He will bring you through it.

If you’re reading this and you’re facing a similar demon today… then I hope that I can encourage you in some small way. Whatever you’re feeling? It’s okay… Please don’t let anyone rush you along this road. This is YOUR journey – and no-one – absolutely NO-ONE (but God) knows how you feel. So, if you believe in Him – then I encourage you to turn to Him – and if you don’t – then I trust that you will find hope in some other way or form…

Because without Hope – we have nothing

To be….or not to be….

There’s a lot to weigh up when considering whether or not you would like your child to enter the world of modeling and acting.

I would like to share the experience that I had over the past year with my own daughter, in order to help you with that all-important decision.

The first thing which you need to ask yourself is, “Am I doing this for ME or for my son or daughter?” If this is about YOU, then you should strongly reconsider.

The decision for me was an easy one. My daughter LOVES the camera. She has a great personality and is a real people-person; even at the tender age of 2.

So your child’s personality is the most important factor. If your child is camera-shy then this is not the right thing for them.

Secondly, you need to be VERY flexible… If you’re working full-time, you need to have an awesome relationship with your superior, as calls for Castings can come at the most inopportune times. A detailed brief of what the client is looking for, will always be given to you if/when your child has been selected for a Casting; e.g. Kids for Africa, 2 yrs old, 90cm tall, size 5 shoe. Shoot dates if chosen – 2-3 May 2011. So you would know, from this information: who the client is, what they are looking for and whether or not you can commit to the shoot. The ball is in your court to say “yes” or “no”

If chosen for a particular shoot, your need for flexibility immediately increases… you will now need time off to take your child to the shoot. This can be anything from a half a day to a number of days, depending on how well the shoot goes, and how well your child performs.

Thirdly, you need to shop around before choosing an Agency. Please don’t just take the first one you see. Check out Websites, their clients, other shoots they’ve done, etc. Find out the COST involved… How much is it going to cost you? Registration fees may vary from anything between R100 and R500. If your child is really young, you also need to find out the cost of upgrading his/her profile. And naturally, this should not exceed your original cost of registration.

Next – Refreshments!!! When going to a Casting/Shoot, make sure that you take along sufficient refreshments for both you and your child. Sometimes the wait is short – but sometimes the wait can be very, very long.

Patience!!!!!! That’s right; you need to have a lot of patience. You never know what the client is looking…  Sometimes you will arrive at a particular Casting and find that they have requested only a few children from selected agencies and then SOMETIMES you will arrive and find that your child is # 596 and that every agency on the Planet has sent children… Those are the days you really need to exercise patience. And take along something with which to occupy your little one.

Okay, let’s see what we’ve covered so far: Whether or not this is right for your child; Flexibility, Cost, Patience and Refreshments. The next few things are important, but don’t take precedence they are just niggling details.

Your child will have to be registered as a tax payer and Tax will be deducted each time your child gets paid. You may claim this back at the end of each Tax year.

Your Agent will naturally take a percentage of your child’s earnings. Find out what this percentage is before making any commitment.

I hope I’ve covered everything to help you make an informed decision about whether or not your child should model. And I trust that you will make the right decision for your little star.

Natalie Porter

Adults and children alike love snack foods or snacks as we more commonly refer to them. They are eaten to reduce hunger pangs between meals or for pure enjoyment (which is usually the case).

They provide some mystical feel good factor through spiking blood sugar levels and providing instant lifts when energy levels dip. Snacks foods receive far more advertising and media coverage than their nutrient dense counter parts and it is hardly if ever that a child or grown up will opt for an apple instead of a chip.

So as part of your healthy lunchbox overhaul start reading the labels, don’t be conned by the bright colourful headlines that claim to be “sugar or preservative free”, as these usually contain other ingredients far more harmful to your health. Search for the actual ingredients and avoid any items that contain hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated oils, sugar, preservatives, colourants, flavourants , MSG or any other numbers or letters that have no meaning.

There is no half-healthy junk food, clean out the cupboard completely and replace it with some of the following healthier snack alternatives. Read more >>>>>

Regards

Debbie Langley

Natural Health Consultant

BPharm NHN NHC

Cell: 083 310 3747

e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

www.debbielangley.co.za

http://thehealthylunchbox.blogspot.com