Trust Your Gut!

"Intuition will tell the thinking mind where to look next." --Jonas Salk

A little songbird returned to my home this fall. It had been gone for nearly a year. It was the loss of this bird's song that stirred discontent in my stomach as my mother's intuition sounded an alarm. This songbird was actually my daughter whose constant singing always assured me of her contentedness. Last fall, her songs quietly stopped, while moodiness settled in its place. This sounded a bell within me and caused me to reflect on all aspects of her life to find the source of a seemingly growing unhappiness. Upon much contemplation, research and prayer, we decided that a change of schools was best for our daughter. The decision proved to be exactly what she needed. Our little songbird is back! --happy, motivated, and singing!

Trusting your intuition as a mother is sometimes difficult. Particularly as your child grows older and natural development, as well as the pressures of school may cloud your ability to determine what an issue warranting action is. It is also difficult to trust your intuition when it is led by fear. When you find yourself unsure about whether to trust your intuition, try following these steps:

1. Listen to your child. Listen to what is said as well as the non-verbal messages or body language that may be exhibited.
2. Get the facts. Don't rely on intuition alone. If the issue involves others, (teachers, coaches, friends), get their information or opinions about your concerns. If necessary, seek professional opinions for medical or psychological issues.
3. Research all possible solutions to the problem. Although you may have a strong "gut feeling" about a particular solution. Take time to explore other workable ideas. If appropriate, examine solutions with your child by creating a "pros and cons" list.
4. Pray for guidance.

Trust your gut! You were uniquely designed to be your child's best advocate!
--Sheila--
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