Over the last year, sports programs have had shortened seasons, if any at all. Because of that, training time for athletes of all ages has dropped significantly. Now, with sports returning to a more normal duration, young athletes are working hard to regain lost skills and recondition their bodies. The problem, however, is that lengthy breaks increase the risk of injury upon returning to training. In addition, when athletes specialize in a sport, they generally only train muscles for that sport. To be truly at the top of their game, young athletes should engage in training that develops all muscle groups through a system designed to meet their athletic and developmental needs.
When athletes are on an extended break from their sport, their body deconditions, and they lose cardiovascular power, muscle strength, speed and agility, and other skills. As we generally see, after a “normal” break, athletes go back into training at a high level which usually increases their risk of injury. With COVID, breaks have been longer, and training hasn’t been as extensive as it was in prior seasons. Coupled with the lack of cross-training in sports in general, young athletes are currently at a higher risk for overuse injuries, leading to further setbacks. To truly recondition their bodies, they need to take it slow and build skills back in a steadier approach.
Brain Training for ADHD
Posted: April 06, 2023
Although Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is such a prevalent diagnosis, there are still many misconceptions surrounding it. People often assume that ADHD results from poor parenting, laziness, or some learning disorder. And with these assumptions come a wide range of approaches to “fix” the problem. However, with the lack of proper understanding of this disorder, it’s hard to find an effective method to implement. Becoming knowledgeable about the facts of the disorder can make way for more successful interventions that will build confidence in those children instead of shame.
ADHD stems from an imbalance of chemicals in the brain, largely that of dopamine, but new studies also find low levels of serotonin. More recent brain scans have also revealed that the amygdala and hippocampus of individuals with ADHD appear to be smaller and blood flow is slower to those areas. Since those regions are responsible for emotional processing and executive functioning, it’s no wonder why children with ADHD struggle in areas related to attention, organization, and emotions. Because of these things, the nervous system of those with ADHD functions differently. This leads to a need to be challenged and engaged in something interesting most of the time.
Parenting the Shy Child
Posted: March 30, 2023
In a world that highly values the traits of extroverted individuals, shy children are often assumed to have something wrong that needs to be fixed. However, shyness is simply a personality trait that is part of their temperament. Children are born with unique personalities, although the environment can play a significant role in how these traits present as the child develops. What is apparent is that shyness falls on a continuum, where children have varying levels of this trait. The important thing is to remember that different character attributes should be embraced to appreciate the unique way a shy child interacts with the world around them.
Children are wired with a variety of traits, and these things affect all areas of their life. Shyness is a trait that most parents are concerned about because they feel their child doesn’t have a good self-image. However, many shy children have a strong self-concept. They are often deep-thinkers and great listeners but also very protective of their inner peace. Shy children with a healthy confidence are polite, happy, and make eye contact. They are just simply quiet and slow to warm up to novel situations and people. And yes, more extreme shyness traits can cause concern, such as avoiding eye contact, behavior problems, and excessive fear. This is when adults need to step in and help.
Children’s challenging behaviors have long been the focus of adults’ pessimistic viewpoint of characteristics that don’t fit the mold of societal expectations. This rigid “deficit thinking” causes parents to complain about their child’s qualities and make them try to “fix” what is wrong or make excuses as to why they can’t do certain things. However, these assumptions don’t help children but hinder them and cause low self-esteem and self-efficacy. As they say, “We are what we think we are.” Instead, adults should reframe how they view a child’s weakness or misbehavior and raise the ceiling for them.
Children are criticized daily for their undesirable behaviors. Labels such as overly sensitive, hyperactive, impatient, defiant, etc., are automatically assigned to children when they exhibit actions outside of what is considered “good.” Adults feel that they should address these things immediately to ensure that future success isn’t impeded. But in adults’ pursuit to be good teachers, parents, and coaches, they forget that the child should be the focus. However, the goal should be to understand the child and shift to strength-based thinking to build children up based on their personalities instead of making them fit into what’s considered the norm.
Accepting Responsibility: Teaching Children to Avoid Blame Shifting
Posted: March 03, 2023
It is becoming more and more apparent that no one is to blame for everything that happens. So, if this is the case, how do we get ourselves in such turmoil if no one is responsible? Although this seems ridiculous, the use of “blame-shifting” has become the go-to way of justifying mistakes. When we have arguments or conflict with others, one of the major contributing factors that play into the inability for solutions to be reached easily is a lack of ownership of behavior. Children must be taught how to accept responsibility for their actions and feelings in any situation to lead a more productive life. Children are naturally going to test boundaries. Seeing how far they can push the limits of rules is nothing new. And when they make mistakes, their first reaction is to blame. They could blame someone else or even an external circumstance. By doing this, they feel they are preserving their pride and avoiding disapproval and consequences. Since children want to please their parents, those with parents that are more impatient and critical are more likely to shift blame. The problem with this lack of ownership is children become more passive and lose their sense of humility. This ultimately leads to more conflict and more difficulty finding resolutions. To help children learn this critical life skill, parents need to be patient and empathetic when addressing undesirable behaviors. This will create an environment where children feel safe to be honest. During these discussions, especially when there is a conflict between children, it is essential to help them stay focused only on their behavior during the dispute. Whether it was the action that initiated the incident or the reaction to the situation, taking ownership of their part is vital. This keeps them focused and prevents them from shifting blame. When children have successfully owned their behavior, make sure to show them an appreciation for their honesty, and open a dialogue for what could have been done differently. Life skills are an important part of a child’s development in the SKILLZ program. By utilizing the Life SKILLZ supplemental curriculum in class, instructors, can help set up children for success in patience, respect, kindness, responsibility, self-control, and many others. Parents can implement the Parent SKILLZ information to help them be more patient when addressing poor choices by their children and prompt them for more appropriate decisions. By providing children with environments that instill consistency in rules and consequences, children’s character becomes more refined, and they become more resilient. As John Wooden stated, “You aren’t a failure until you start to blame.” Taking responsibility for our behaviors is hard, especially for children. However, to help children master their responses to the world around them, they must learn to take ownership of their part. This fosters control over their own lives and helps develop essential life skills. When children are given the tools to learn from setbacks and mistakes, they form a growth mindset and become more resilient and empathetic human beings.