Empowering Your Children in the New Millenium

Introduction

It is said that “it takes a village to raise a child” and how true that is even in this modern day and age. Though the village may look different than it once did, the people are still the same; the children, the parents and the teachers. Though we now live a “global village” of sorts, for the most part, things have not changed that much. The children need to be taught, the parents need to make sure that the children are taught well and the teachers need to do the teaching and pass down the knowledge to the children. Each role in this equation is important; everyone has a job to do, and each job is an important one, make no mistake about it.

Children, and for that matter all of us, need to be interacting with other people and other beings (like animals for example) as to learn from one another and by doing so to grow as human beings that become caring and productive members of society and of this planet. The world is getting smaller and we all need to learn how to peacefully co-exist together.

The Physical, the Mental, the Emotional and the Spiritual

We human beings are composed of four components:

· The Physical (of the Body)

· The Mental (of the Mind)

· The Emotional (of the Heart)

· The Spiritual (of the Spirit).

If any of these four components are out of balance we experience “dis-ease”. When we experience “dis-ease” in the body it can become sickness, when in the mind it becomes mental illness of sorts, when in the heart it become “heart ache” or emotional disorders and when it is in the spiritual it is viewed as being “spiritually disconnected”.

Exercises for Children

The following exercises for children are designed to help empower them physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually (the exercises can be done by adults too!). Below are exercises to help children in their everyday lives:

1. Breathing

2. Relax Your Mind

3. Meditation

4. Visualization to Reduce Stress

5. Connecting with Nature

6. Yoga

7. Physical Exercise

Exercises for Parents
The following are exercises and techniques to keep parents, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually empowered as well.

Below are exercises to help parents in their everyday lives:

1. Walking

2. Proper Diet

3. Stress Management

4. Meditation

5. Time for Self

6. Get Involved in Your Children's Education and Activities

7. Parent Partnership Program

Exercises for Teachers
The following are exercises for teachers to use to work with children (and the parents too, if they choose to participate) to help children think, grow, make a contribution to their world and the world at large.

Below are exercises to help teachers in working with children:

1. Children Helping Themselves

2. Children Helping Their Families

3. Children Helping the Animals

4. Children Helping the Community or the Environment

5. Children Helping Their School

6. Children Helping Their Country

7. Children Helping the People of the Planet

Love and the Children

The children are indeed our future and in order for them to grow, flourish and thrive properly they need love. By loving the children we mean providing a safe environment where they can become the young adults that they are meant to be and contribute to society in the way they are meant to contribute. Each child has an important contribution to make and for that matter everyone has an important contribution to make to this world. Children need a loving environment free from growing discontent of life so they can grow and achieve their full potential. They need an environment where they can safely explore all their gifts, and in time as they understand their gifts, make their contribution to the world.

Conclusion

It is my hope this article has provided you with some additional tools to help empower your children. These tools are not meant to replace your current child rearing practices but rather give you additional exercises to help children, parents and teachers raise happy, vibrant and well balanced children in the new millennium. The exercises here are designed to be used “in addition to and not instead of” your current practices.

Some things will never change; there will be children, there will be parents and there will be teachers. What a great joy all of that is!

The exercises in this article are designed for children 8 years and older.

Always check with your doctor before embarking on any exercise program.

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About the Author

Oreste "Rusty" D'Aversa is the Founder of The Institute of Practical Spirituality (www.PracticeSpirituality.com) and the author of Empowering Your Children in the New Millennium: Practical Tools for Children, Parents and Teachers. He is ordained as a
Non-Denominational/Interfaith Minister by The New Seminary in New York City. He is also a keynote speaker, author, university lecturer, business consultant, corporate trainer, workshop facilitator and life balance coach. Copyright © Oreste J. D’Aversa, 2007. All rights reserved.