Kids Focus Flash Forum November 2016

Welcome to the Kids Focus Flash Forum! Each month I’ll offer practical tips and insights for parents and teachers that can help kids improve learning and behavior. My approach will always be natural, healthy, and brain building. These tips have been tested in NM classrooms and homes, so I know firsthand how well they can work. Kids Focus Flash Forum is my blog – so if you have comments or requests for future topics, please email me at marcia.lee@kidsfocususa.com and I will share your comments in the next forum.

TOPIC #1 – How to BUILD KIDS’ CONFIDENCE
A lot of kids struggle with lack of belief in themselves and their self-worth. It’s hard to convince a kid to finish her/his homework or do well on a test when they don’t think they’re going to succeed anyway. Many of them have been labeled (e.g., ADHD, dyslexic, autistic, etc.) and that label hangs around their necks like a lifetime sentence. How can we help?

ANSWER: CHANGE “OUR” (Parents/Teachers) FOCUS!
The first thing I do is ignore all the labels. My job is to find the best in each kid. I look for what I can fall in love with inside every kid I meet. I also want to know what their challenging behavior is really asking for. In this case, what makes a kid feel confident?

Kids will try to become what we see in them. Always look for the BEST in every kid and FOCUS on her/his STRENGTH. Studies show that when we focus on kids’ negative problems or failures, only 20% improvement is possible. On the other hand, focusing on a strength can create 400% improvement.

Here’s a real-life example: A middle school student struggling with spelling. He’s bright, but spelling is tough for him and no one believes he can get it right. We talked about the weirdness of English spelling – so many words aren’t spelled the way they sound. Now he knows at least some of the challenge is not his fault! Next, I discovered that his brain is literally wired to move in order to learn ANYTHING! (More about movement in the next forum!)

Solution: He does a set of cross-lateral Kids Focus movements before he studies and walks around as he memorizes words. He’s improved his spelling AND is building a great vocabulary! Most of all, he feels like he’s in control. Now that’s confidence!
Self-mastery = Self- confidence

Reader’s Response: “. . . sometimes the labels are actually accurate and they represent important information potentially about how a person might be wired, or why certain behaviors might surface, etc. That information is important to know and to be open to considering how to fold it into the strategizing that goes into supporting the person.”

Marcia’s Comment: “I agree that labels can provide important information about behaviors. My frustration is that most people slap on a label and NEVER look deeper. Most people CONFUSE the challenge or the label with the child. I can’t tell you how many people tell me their child IS “ADHD, OCD, ODD, etc.” This is a terrible confusion. A child is a child; he or she is NOT his/her challenging behavior. A child has a personality and uniqueness, AND he/she has challenges (as do we all).

Behavior is a snapshot of what the brain is telling us about its current needs, which play out in learning and behavior. The needs are often complex, whereas labels tend to be simplistic. A label should be the beginning of an exploration into deeper causes, not the end.”Kids Focus Website

UPCOMING EVENTS:  For more Info on Kids Focus Workshops and private tutoring sessions: Call 949-468-9841 or Email me at marcia.lee@kidsfocususa.com

Invitation to Kids Focus Workshop Feb. 20, 2016 REGISTER NOW!

“Want Kids to Learn and Behave? Let ‘Em Move!”

FEBRUARY 20, 2016 Saturday – KIDS FOCUS WORKSHOP at African American Performing Arts Center, 9 am – 4 pm. 6 CEUs. A hands-on WORKSHOP for PARENTS, TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS. Learn how to help kids improve FOCUS, CALMNESS and SELF-REGULATION – in the CLASSROOM and at HOME. The Drug-Free way to say GOOD-BYE ADHD!

Scientific studies prove that movement is one of the most effective ways to improve ADHD behavior, support child growth, increase academic success, and balance the emotions – without the use of medication! Includes movement, sleep, nutrition, and activities for ages 4 through teens. Includes Kids Focus Manual and Certificate of Completion. $119 per person. Ask me about DISCOUNTS.

REGISTER NOW Call 949-468-9841 or Email marcia.lee@kidsfocususa.com

Next Kids Focus Workshop in ABQ, NM – June 20, 2015, Saturday

Kids Focus Workshops for Teachers, Parents, Counselors, and Mental Health Professionals
Simple Movements for Children’s Focus – Calmness – Concentration – Self-Regulation
Positive change in minutes!      
See Kids Focus in action at www.kidsfocususa.com!

June 20, 2015, Saturday in ABQ, NM –  9 AM – 4:30 PM at High Desert Center for Spiritual Living, Paradise Hills

You Can Register Now! Call Marcia Lee at 949-468-9841 or email Marcia at marcia.lee@kidsfocususa.com

Learn how to help children focus, feel calmer, concentrate, and learn to self-regulate naturally and quickly without the use of medication.

KIDS FOCUS BENEFITS:
1) supports kids’ brain and behavioral development
2) boosts academic success & improves test scores
3) builds confidence and positive attitude
4) improves behavior in the classroom and at home
5) drug-free solutions for ADD/ADHD behavior
6) natural solutions to prevent bullying

The Kids Focus Workshop includes:
~ Over 70 Safe, Easy-to-Do Movements
~ Tools for Effective Behavior Management
~ Fosters Kids’ Emotional Balance and Self-Regulation
~ Use Kids Focus with Kids from Early Childhood through High School
~ Includes enhanced Kids Focus Manual
~ Certificate of Completion for 6 ceu’s/clock hours – NM Trainer Registry

REGISTER NOW: call Marcia Lee cell: 949-468-9841 or email marcia.lee@kidsfocususa.com Marcia Lee, Educational Trainer, Reading Specialist, ADD/ADHD Consultant

Register Now! Kids Focus Workshop – April 5, 2014 – Saturday – for Parents, Teachers, Counselors, Social Workers

Experience the power and effectiveness of Kids Focus –
Simple Movements for Children’s Focus, Calmness, Concentration, and Self-Regulation!

You are invited to the KIDS FOCUS WORKSHOP for Parents, Teachers, Counselors, and Social Workers!
When: April 5, 2014, Saturday
Where: African American Performing Arts Center, 310 San Pedro, ABQ (near Central)
Time: 10 am – 4:30 pm

This workshop includes:
–  dozens of Kids Focus movements for early childhood, preschool, and elementary school
–  top strategies for children’s brain development
–  effective tools for behavior management
–  builds foundation for academic success
–  medication-free help for ADD/ADHD type behavior
– 134 page manual

Early Registration – register & pay BEFORE March 1, 2014 = $119 (Save $20)
Registration AFTER March 1, 2014 = $139

For Registration or Information, call Marcia Lee at 949-468-9841 or email: marcia.lee@kidsfocususa.com

Kids Focus supports Common Core, EPSS. ELL and Teach NM. This workshop is for adults only.
The next Kids Focus Parent-Child demonstration will be at Erna Ferguson Library on March 15, 2014 from noon – 1 pm. Call to reserve a seat for you and your child!

Kids Focus Tutoring+ – Private Sessions for Child and Parent Now Available in ABQ, NM

Private Kids Focus Tutoring+ – Sessions for child and parent are now available with Marcia Lee, Educational Trainer, Reading Specialist, ADD/ADHD Consultant. These individualized Kids Focus one-on-one sessions are designed to help children improve learning, memory, and behavior easily and naturally through the use of simple movements. Marcia provides suggestions for both home and school use.

Marcia works with ages 4 – 18 to offer help with:
– Behavior Management
– Focus and Concentration
– Calmness and Self-Regulation
– Academic Success
– Medication-free help for ADD/ADHD-type behavior
– Skills: Reading, Language, Writing, Study Skills

Parent must accompany child.

For reservations, location, and cost, call Marcia Lee at 949-468-9841 or email marcia.lee@kidsfocususa.com.

FREE Kids Focus Demo for Parents and Kids – March 15, 2014 – Saturday at Erna Ferguson Library, noon

Parents, grandparents, and kids, (teachers and counselors are welcome too!) are invited to a FREE Kids Focus Demo! Come and experience the fun and effectiveness of using movement to help kids focus, feel calmer, concentrate, and self-regulate – in under a minute!

Find out how to bring a Kids Focus Teachers’ Workshop to your child’s school. Sign up for our newsletter to hear more about Kids Focus workshops for parents, teachers, and counselors. Find out why so many schools and child development centers in New Mexico, California, and Colorado love Kids Focus for helping kids succeed in school and improve childhood brain and behavioral development.

Kids Focus provides medication-free help for ADD/ADHD-type behavior.

Event: FREE Kids Focus Demo for Parents & Kids

When: March 15, 2014 – Saturday

Time: 12 noon – 1 pm

Where: Erna Ferguson Library, 3700 San Mateo NE, ABQ

Reserve a seat: Call Marcia Lee at 949-468-9841 or email Marcia.lee@kidsfocususa.com

Visit  the Kids Focus USA website for more details – www.kidsfocususa.com

Kids Focus Success in ABQ Schools – Mission Avenue and Mitchell Elementary

Thank you so much to the amazing staff at Mission Avenue and Mitchell Elementary Schools in Albuquerque, NM for supporting Kids Focus, helping children focus and self-regulate using simple movements in the classroom.

I recently gave two powerful workshops at Mission Avenue Elementary and Mitchell Elementary in Albuquerque, NM. What a joy to meet so many dedicated, talented teachers, educational assistants, and counselors!

Imagine your students starting the school year with enthusiasm, focus, concentration and self-regulation! Kids Focus gives teachers the competitive edge in helping children succeed with advanced brain and behavioral development and academic success. And Kids Focus helps implement the rubrics in NM TEACH and supports the Nurtured Heart Approach.

Your students can share the success. Start the school year with one of the most effective programs for student achievement. Contact Marcia Lee at 949-468-9841 to book a Kids Focus Teachers’ Workshop or schedule a free Kids Focus demonstration at your school.

Celebrating our New Name – KIDS FOCUS ~ Brain-Body-Balancing for Young Learners

We have a new name! Children’s Brain/Body/Balancing is now KIDS FOCUS – Brain-Body-Balancing for Young Learners.

We’re celebrating the new year with fresh ideas, new movements, and more in-depth information on how to help children focus, feel calmer, concentrate, and self-regulate through simple movements. Check our website kidsfocus.co for information on upcoming workshops and lectures.

Can Movement Help Your Baby or Child? YES!

The NASPE (National Association for Sport and Physical Education) Guidelines for movement for children are designed to support the health and well-being of children throughout the United States. The guidelines state that “All children from birth to age 5 should engage in daily physical activity that promotes movement skillfulness and foundations of health-related fitness.” Here’s what that really means.

Infants – “Caregivers should place infants in settings that encourage and stimulate movement experiences and active play for short periods of time several times each day.” “You can encourage your infant to be active from the time he or she is born.” For example, offer your infant small challenges like placing a toy just outside their reach, so that the infant crosses the midline of the body to reach and grasp.

Toddlers – “Toddlers should engage in a total of at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity each day.” PLUS at least 60 minutes – and up to several hours – per day of unstructured physical activity and “should NOT be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time, except when sleeping.” Encourage moving by modeling and example. Try out simple, safe movements together from baby yoga programs.

Preschoolers – “Preschoolers should accumulate at least 60 minutes of structured physical activity each day.” PLUS at least 60 minutes – and up to several hours – of unstructured activity each day and “should NOT be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time, except when sleeping.” Preschoolers love to move. Doing simple, cross-lateral movements like cross crawls before any learning activity helps switch on the brain, encourage focus, and just makes kids feel happy!

When you encourage movement, along with great nutrition and lots of love, you give your baby an important opportunity to avoid ADHD-like behaviors and other challenges later on. We can’t control the ups and downs of life, but movement promotes brain cell development and enhancement, and has been shown to even help children better handle life’s difficulties.

Sadly, most of our schools and day care centers are not meeting the NASPE movement guidelines. And our children’s brains, intelligence, and well-being suffer.

I started the Children’s Brain Body Balancing program to bring simple movements right into the classroom and day care center and give parents tools to help their children focus, feel calm and learn to self-regulate. For more information, check my website – solutionswithoutdrugs.com.

Celebrating Fantasic Children’s Brain/Body Balancing Workshops

Children’s Brain/Body Balancing – “Students have demonstrated growth!” Comment on using CBBB movements at Helen Cordero School – Pre-K – 2 grade

Thank you so much to all the parents, teachers and professionals who joined us on Saturday, September 8th in Albuquerque at the beautiful African American Performing Arts Center for the last day-long workshop in 2012 on how to use simple, controlled movements to help children focus, feel calm, concentrate and self-regulate – in under a minute. Thank you for sharing the excitement and joy that simple movement can create so quickly and easily inside you.

Children’s Brain/Body Balancing also recently inspired the dedicated EAs at East San Jose Elementary School in Albuquerque, NM, the devoted professionals at Hogares Inc. in Albuquerque, NM and the hard-working teachers at La Promesa Early Learning Center in Albuquerque, NM. Thank you all for your dedication and commitment to helping children learn and succeed using movement every day.

In spring/summer 2013 I will offer more workshops. So you too can come and learn dozens of unique and fun movements you can use with children in the classroom, at home, or on the go. You’ll also learn the Childhood Brain Science that supports movement for improving behavior and learning and hear tips on nutrition, temperament, intelligence, ADHD, and more. I look forward to meeting you next year!