Raising The Organic Unity Of Child-And-Community

“When a child displays a behavior problem, the first place to look for the cause and for the solution is to the child’s environment.” Maria Montessori

 We cannot truly separate the child from the community.   In our efforts to “fix” child behavior or heal the child from the traumatic impact of adverse childhood experiences, we need to relate to the community as an extension of the child’s physical and psychological constitution. 

An organic unity operates here.  There is more than just a relationship between community conditions and the child’s physical, emotional and social development.  There is an intrinsic integration operating here, so that we need to understand the child’s community at large as an integral dimension of the child, as no real empty space exists between the child and the community. 

Imagine, trying to help a child overcome asthma while exposing him to dangerously polluted air. Our efforts must prove futile as the toxicity of the child’s environment counteracts any positive influence we might hope to have.  In fact, such a strategy appears entirely irrational when we view the child’s condition realistically; that is, in the context of the child’s environment. 

Studies indicate that unless we make significant reparations and improvements to the child’s home and surrounding community influences, our efforts to improve the child’s wellbeing and behavior remain severely impaired, if not altogether nullified.

The more elements within the child’s community that support, reinforce and repair the child’s physical, emotional and social wellbeing, the more effective are likely to be our efforts to work directly upon the child. 

 The 7 Mindsets Solution

 Research has determined that 7 Mindsets function at the root of the happiest and most accomplished human beings on the planet:

1. Everything Is Possible: Dream big and expect success.
2. Passion First: Focus on your strengths; explore your interests; take a stand.
3. We Are Connected:  Develop your skills of working with, for and through others.
4. 100% Accountability:Take full responsibility for achieving your desired outcomes.
5. Attitude Of Gratitude: Focus on what is working and feel and express genuine thankfulness for it.
6. Live To Give: Stretch yourself to give you very best.
7. The Time Is Now: Make the most of the present moment to live a meaningful life.

 7 Mindsets is a company that discovered these mindsets, developed teacher training in them, and brings 7 Mindsets Social Emotional Learning into elementary, middle and high school curriculums (see www.7mindsets.com - to date we have reached over 500,000 students.) 

Fulfill The Dream

7 Mindsets takes its role in providing improved community support for the child a step further with its Fulfill The Dream (FTD) program.  Piloted by Roberto Rivera, FTD takes the 7 Mindsets “into the streets”, providing youth with a culturally relevant format for becoming positive change agents in their community’s development.  Their realization and acceptance of their social responsibility and empowerment proves to be a key factor in lifting these youths out of the negative social and emotional cycles that have held them and their communities captive. It is how Roberto himself overcame the traumatic impact of his early years.  (Click on this link for Roberto’s Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...Q0ffu19iY&t=522s)

Parenting And Beyond

In my community work, I focus on empowering parents with The 7 Mindsets For Extraordinary Parenting.  In these programs I inform and train parents, particularly those who are struggling in their own lives, as well as in their parenting, in the use of the 7 Mindsets to meet and overcome their parenting and life challenges.  Their application of the 7 Mindsets literally rewires the neural patterns of their brain, to over-ride traumatic patterns that hold higher levels of rational thinking hostage.  As parents utilize the 7 Mindsets in the personal, professional and parenting departments of their lives, they not only experience more hope, optimism, resilience and success.  They automatically impart the 7 Mindsets to their children, supporting the child’s recovery from the traumatic impact of adverse childhood experiences, and at the same time cultivating within the child the thought patterns that produce happiness and success in school and in life.

I also provide preschool teachers and early childhood child care professionals with 7 Mindsets training, in support of their improved compassionate effectiveness with the children they serve, which simultaneously imparts these same Mindsets in the developing young child.  Furthermore, I bring 7 Mindsets training to businesses, to help their owners and workers thrive on all levels, and to enhance their positive influence in the community dimension of the child.

I also work directly with communities' youth leadership groups, coaching and training them in the deployment of the 7 Mindsets in leadership.  

Raising The Community Dimension Of The Child

As we train the community-dimension of the child in the use of the 7 Mindsets, we are improving the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of the whole child.  We cannot hope to effectively raise our children while leaving out an integral dimension of the child.  Raising the community is raising the child.

To learn how to bring Roberto Rivera’s Fulfill The Dream program to your community email roberto@7mindsets.com
To learn more about 7 Mindsets Social Emotional Learning and how to bring it into your community’s schools visit www.7mindsets.com
To bring my 7 Mindsets trainings for parents, preschool teachers, childcare professionals and businesses to your community email me at bob@boblancercom and check out my websites: www.schoolsupportmotivation and www.motivationalspeakerpower.com.