The Brand-New Day

We are almost done with the first part of the Brain Balance program (the official portion that involves going to the center), and I can honestly say that we have seen dramatic improvement in A. Actually, I didn't even realize how much improvement we have seen and made as a family until I re-read some of my posts from January. Wow! I hate to throw around words like "dramatic" and "miracle" when talking about this because I don't want to give the wrong impression about his progression in the past months and I don't want to come across as melodramatic. However, looking back, it has truly been miraculous for us. We have seen changes and improvements in A that I was hoping to see and we have seen changes and improvements in A that I didn't even realize needed improving. Heck, we've seen changes in the entire family. 

To be totally honest with you, in the past I had personally characterized A negatively and authoritatively (as if this is just "how he is"). I had labeled him in my mind primarily as a "Lazy kid" or a "Bully" or just a smarty-pants that struggled with proper behavior simply because he wanted to. And I am realizing how unhealthy that was to think of him that way and treat him that way (and let others think of and treat him that way). Through doing this program I have seen so much goodness in A, so much intent to do good, so much determination and endurance, and so much charity. 

He is still himself--a firecracker funny and interesting child. Which is great! I was talking to a friend several weeks ago about some concerns she was seeing in her child and we talked a little about the Brain Balance program. She kind of recoiled and said that she wasn't concerned about "changing her child." And that caught me off guard. I hadn't realized that I had been talking all of this time in a way that made others feel like I wanted to "change" A. Or maybe I was just speaking of the program in terms of its abilities in "changing" a person. 

This is so unfortunate that I came across this way because the concepts taught in the Brain Balance program are applicable in every home. Really! I can now see clearly some of the implications of brain development (appropriate and/or delayed) in the children (and adults!) all around me. I have learned so much about children, about myself, about growing brains and bodies, about our abilities to overcome and progress,  and about giving grace to others on their personal journey through mortal life.

I don't believe that the Brain Balance program is a panacea (I don't think anything is). However I have found, through this process in the program, simple tools that have encouraged and produced a much happier and far more balanced son.