updated 2/7/16
An important metric parents and educators should experiment with integrating as part of a daily routine can singlehandedly address such issues as being a bully-target, being able to regulate and regain behavioral composure, realign and elongate your spine, change your mood, and tone a host of other executive function skills also.
It is almost a silly metric that is hidden as an activity itself. It is not a big deal, it costs nothing on a reaccuring basis, is easily practiced, and most certainly greatly underestimated.
This tool is daily posture exercise.
This tool is daily posture exercise.
Directions:
1. First roll your shouders up and back in a circle three to five x's.
2. Second, jut your chest out and arch your back into a tense muscular hold with your shoulders outstretched back and away from your body.
3. Third, extend straight arms backward and away from your body.
4. In this position, which is certainly a tough and tiring position, breathe 8-10x's diapragmatically.
5. Release and relax.
To make it engaging for a child with focus and/ or sustaining attention difficulties, autism, or ADHD, a parent will have more success of doing posture exercise with their child if they present it as part of a larger map plan of action that must be created, followed through, and completed. This planning map of select activities organized according to three to four categories is part of the nuts and bolts of my work with younger children.
Mom/ Dad and child can do the map together and prioritize it (number it). Posture exercise then becomes part of a mapped out daily routine of multiple activities that change and vary accodring to need, parental discretion, child likes/ dislikes.
The act of making time to emphasize the importance of planning out for the short and long-term, prioritizing a sequence of starting and completing tasks focused on identified goals, creates a metacognitive chassis that through its daily use, or almost daily use, renders a repeating sense of accomplishment, contentment, and even joy for the child, adolescent, or young adult. Incidentally, this routine also tones professional and entrepreneurial job skills.
The posture exercise is just one of these activities. It doesn't give you 'professional skills.' But the act of using foresight, focus and sustaining attention to plan out, prioritize, start and complete are worthy skills for students to have. This should be in addition to any other educational instruction they are learning. I mention it because it is an executive function skill toning activity that serves multiple goals, it is an actvity easily replicated, and it costs nothing.
If you have questions, want to discuss a concern with Coach Bill, or live in the Connecticut, New York City, Puerto Rico, Martha's Vineyard, Ma. areas contact me for a personal visit or a Skype session.
Tip:
Work on including activities that tone functional balance, like using a BongoBoard, long-board surfing and long-board skatebaording, different kinds of dancing styles, biking, pull-ups, swimming, push-ups, guided horseplay, paddleboarding, sprinting intervals.
A child or adult with gross motor skill deficits or delays is bound to experience frustration at times, as well as a disjointed sense of accomplishment. Simply operating a platform with a built-in framework that includes an activity like this amongst others is key to succesfully running your own program at home with your child.
All I am presenting in essence is creating a metacognitive chassis that retains its integrity and purpose even though you the parent, educator, coach, child, may customize it with your likes and dislikes. The use of key metrics is vital to retain the integrity of this being a true vehicle for executive function skills development and hemispheric balancing.
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