Patience & Processing

For the past two months I have been working with a 9 year old boy on incorporating exercise into his daily lifestyle. I can't take all the credit because before I met him, his father always had him on the treadmill and trying different types of sports with him, being a role model for his child.
Last week, Adam chose to play football. Remember, giving the child ownership of the program will increase his chances of liking exercise and establishing a healthy lifestyle. Too many times are children are told or commanded what to do. Adam choose football and as we began to throw it to each other, I asked him things like "what hand are you throwing with?, where is your right hand?" and when he threw it to me I would say, "Nice job throwing with your right hand!"
As you can see he has trouble with identifying between the right and left side of his body.
Then I said, "Let me see you throw with your left hand.." I then walked toward him and put the ball in his left hand. He held the ball for a bit and then tried to put it back in his left hand. I said "No Adam...I want you to throw it with your left hand!" (I was excited and smiling)
He held it there and would go back and grip it with his right hand and then hold the ball, in his left hand, like a waiter would with a tray of food. I keep in encouraging him. I looked at my watch and it had been nearly 10 minutes of this, but I wasn't going to over prompt or give up.
Then finally, he did it! He threw it with his left hand.
"Nice job throwing with you left hand" I said as I hugged him.
If you could have saw the way he processed what I was asking. His eyes looking at the ball, at me, he studied every bit of the ball and what his hands could do.
Ten minutes felt like 60 but he did it...all by himself!
In my past experiences I have seen instructors and teachers rush to have the child complete the task or activity. You may have to remind yourself or the people you work with that the children do not process like us. If you do it for them or move to the next activity you are limiting their capabilities.

Our children can do it and so can you!

Yours in Health,

David