As we are coming down the home stretch of 2011, I thought it appropriate to see what was going on a year ago, and what I was writing about. The entry last December was Trying To Find More Pieces Of The Puzzle : still trying to figure out just what was making Little Man so miserable about school- every… single… day. Today, I have a much better insight into some reasons why school is such a challenge for him. Unfortunately, the school can’t really do very much about some of these things, if they even would believe me or understand it all.
My son is very sensitive and very intuitive. Some people call these children Crystal Children. His brain thinks in some different ways. He has difficulty with our linear concept of time. The more I read, the more I realize that it’s only because of our left brain that we perceive time as being linear. His brain is actually ahead of the curve, as far as the evolution of our species. (See what I mean about- if the school would even believe me?)
He has Sensory Processing Disorder for a reason. With his sensitive skin, he is amazing when it comes to feeling energy. He has the makings of a tremendously talented Energy Healer, if he so chooses. He has trouble maintaining focus when something doesn’t interest him (school). That will be a challenge he’ll have to learn to deal with. With the huge amount of energy packed into his little body, it’s no surprise he can have some trouble maintaining focus- especially when he’s forced to sit in one place for an hour or more. (His nickname, earned as a toddler, was Motor Boy).
Costumes are not just for Halloween.
He obsesses about things. As much as this trait can drive me nuts from time to time, it gives him the drive and stick-to-it-ivness that will serve him well at some point in his life. His sensitivity extends to his intuition. He picks up vibes from other people very easily, whether he wants to or not (at this point). It gives him the ability to read people very accurately. He’s a human lie detector. But in school, soaking up all those vibes, he needs to get outside and clear himself out (as well as run off excess energy) on a regular basis. I’ll have to have a chat with his teacher in the next week or two, as Little Man has been missing a lot of recesses that he’s not supposed to miss (courtesy of his 504 Plan), to get caught up with work. And when he’s receptive, I’ll teach him some Energy techniques to help him handle his clairsentience.
He is more than creative. When he watches TV or a video online, he has to be part of the action. He doesn’t just sit and watch. He’s making something, or building something so he can participate in what he’s watching or has just watched. These days, the building mostly involves Legos. And it often involves water: in my kitchen sink, in a plastic tub on the floor, in the bathtub, or in the stream behind the house. Because he can’t tie a knot yet, there is usually tape and string involved. I buy my tape in bulk. Any time we have a good-sized box around, it is always turned into a race car or Titanic.
"A Power Ranger figure frozen like a fossil from the ice age."
Unfortunately, he has very few creative outlets in school. They have no art or music teacher. Any art or music they do is dependent on the classroom teacher. And his teacher this year doesn’t do much art, and does no music at all.
Indiana Jones' car from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Over the past year, I’ve learned so much about my Little Man. Lots of pieces of the puzzle have been revealed to me. School will continue to be a challenge for a while yet. But at least when school is getting him down and making him feel dumb, I know better and tell him all about it. He knows he’s different from his classmates. He knows he has big-time abilities and that he rocks! His time to shine will come.
Life Is A Journey... Not A Guided Tour 
After watching a movie 3-4 years earlier, I came to know that, people like Leonardo Da Vinci and Albert Einstein’s brain also work differently during their childhood. That movie was about a child, who did wonder, when people treated him with love, care & patience. That movie was not only mine favorite but also It was highly appreciated in my country. I was not aware about this term “Crystal Children” before. But some how i can relate your post to that movie and i have no doubt that, “His time to shine will come”.
Wish you a very happy & prosperous new year.
Thank you Arindam. I wish you also a happy and prosperous new year. If you click on the words Crystal Children, it links to an article talking about what some people believe they are. I have read many different descriptions about what they are, who they are, and why they are here in more and more number. And it does relate to higher incidences of children on the autism spectrum, children with ADHD, and children with sensory processing issues.
As you know, I felt like I was reading about my own son. We used to call him “Fastman” as a toddler! He was always zipping around, wreaking havoc…even more so than a typical toddler. Isn’t it incredible how one year can make such a difference? When you look back and see how far you’ve come, it’s really amazing and encouraging!
I am shocked there is no art or music class. My son lives for art. And recess and gym class. He is so energetic still at 9 years old that we are signing him up for track next summer. He runs faster than most boys three grades above him. It’ll be a good way for him to make use of some of his extra energy. (He also has played soccer, basketball and baseball every year!)
If you think no art or music teacher is bad, there is no librarian (thanks to a long time volunteer, this woman does the job of a librarian), or full time special ed instructor (got dumped this year due to budget cuts). There is a part time special ed person who divides her time between 2 outlying elementary schools that are about 15 miles apart. Little Man lives to build with Legos- too bad they don’t use those as teaching aids. At school he lives for recess, gym, and tech lab (computer time once a week). He doesn’t want to participate in anything organized- sports, boy scouts, etc. I don’t know what it is about these, but he out and out refuses.
You’re such an amazing mom Susan. My heart soars reading about all you’ve learned about your little man and how extremely blessed he is to have you for a mom. He has some amazing things coming in his future and I have no doubt you’ll be able to guide him with your patience, love and understanding. I hope we’ll always be in touch because I can’t wait to see what he is capable of achieving. I wish you had better opportunities when it comes to schooling. It’s criminal that there is little to no art or music and they’re using a volunteer to be a librarian.
Thanks Heli! I have to say that a lot of what I have learned about Little Man was due to intuitive insight from some very talented intuitives that I know (met this past year). They helped me to see the gifts in my son, and to know that has has some rocking abilities that will become apparent as he grows up.
As for his school, unfortunately, it’s a sign of what our culture deems important- where the money is spent as a country (or in this case, not spent). It’s up to each individual teacher to introduce any and all arts into the class. It seems like all this year’s teacher focuses on is math and reading (thanks to state testing- yuck!)
You are truly inspiring. And your boys imagination is wonderful!
Thank you!
Apparently we have more in common than where we came from, and where we ended up. I write about my own “Little Man” (same name!) who was diagnosed with Sensory Integration disorder when he was much younger, but ADHD later. Since then, I have come to believe that MANY kids who have SID, morph into ADHD or ADD…. the first being the start of the second, I think. I wish I had understood things earlier, done some things differently… and then I guess that I did my best and he is an amazing Little Man, now at 15. Still immature for his age, playful and silly, but compassionate and perceptive, in ways that so many of his peers are not. We found a great PhD in Bellingham who does amazing testing, and really helped put some of the puzzle pieces in place… though it is still a quagmire at times. I hear you! I feel your frustration and your pride.
Wow- you have a Little Man, too. Yes, the brain puzzle can be a complex one. I am by nature very inquisitive when something is relevant to my life, and I will devour information about it. With my guy, when his brain is tired and not integrating well, his behavior looks like ADD and ADHD. But he can’t stay focused because his vision system is shutting down, and his auditory system isn’t filtering out higher priority sounds, and his vestibular and proprioceptive systems are screaming out “more, more, more!” Thus, he can’t stay focused and he has to move around. Thanks for reading.