Celebrating the Whole Child Declaration
I recognize children as unique whole beings.
When others see brokenness,
I see wholeness.
When others try to fix children,
I affirm their strengths.
I forgive myself and others,
When we do not understand
Together we create a world which celebrates all children.
We know that children are all potential. We know if they are to fulfill their promise, they must have the right tools-such as an education; and effective coping skills-such as self esteem, and resilience. It is only when we single some children out and label them by what we perceive as their deficiencies, that we short-circuit their natural growth and development. In many of today's classrooms, people like Thomas Edison, Leonardo DaVinci, and Albert Einstein, would be labeled "ADD," "dyslexic" or "Aspergers" and might never have achieved their greatness.
The Message
Evolving out of the organization, The Creative Soul of Children (CSC), Embracing the Spirit of the Child will continue to offer information to inspire parents, teachers and professionals to shift their attitudes to see all children as whole persons filled with promise instead of seeing them as problems needing to be fixed. Labeling children by their disorder or disability is a double-edged sword. When used properly, labels can sometimes help us understand children's behaviors and problems. They can also help parents obtain needed services for their children. At the same time, labels can cause pain, isolation, and confusion. They can be misleading and emphasize differences for the purpose of exclusion. Labels can also become self-fulfilling prophecies. We become what we are named. Naming our children by pathology, disease, disorder, or a disability destroys the sacred purpose of being human. When we refer to children by their label we are saying that the label is more important than the child.
It is not about changing or fixing the child, it is about changing our attitudes toward the child and seeing their unique gifts and potential. By embracing the opportunity these children provide for understanding and growth we can heal our own misperceptions and wounds. Hopefully all of us will eventually shift our perceptions from the pain of wondering "Why did this happen" to a sense of gratitude and celebration for the strengths of the whole individual.
For more information on this subject please click here for archived Blog entries under "Beyond Labels."