Too Wiggly To Sit Still: Moving into Calm
Meet me at the ECMMA Convention August 5 - 8! I'll be presenting "Reflexes: The Rosetta Stone of Children's Movement" in a breakout session, and visiting with folks at my vendor table.
In Too Scared To Come In, I shared Wave Hello, one of the reflex integration raps from the upcoming CD/Book Set, Listenin’ Live. A couple of people said that they loved the rap and couldn’t wait to use it. I really do listen to comments from readers! So let’s jump on that sense of enthusiasm and go on to explore a different reflex and a different rap.
Too Scared To Come In is about creating a sense of safety, by integrating Fear Paralysis and releasing the “freeze” response. This new post is about the wiggles. When we integrate the Spinal Galant Reflex, children become more able to sit in class with a greater sense of calm and comfort.
The Spinal Galant is a sort of “tickle” reflex. If someone “cootchy-coos” you in the side, you involuntarily flinch. The shoulder jerks down and the hip locks to protect that soft spot in the middle of the waist.
The easiest way to activate Spinal Galant is to stroke down the back, between the spine and the side of the body. You can do each side separately, and then both. But if you do, make sure the bathroom is handy! Activating Spinal Galant often stimulates bladder and bowel movement. This makes it a great reflex to work with when bedwetting is an issue.
You know that the Spinal Galant is active when children won’t keep their clothes on. Anything touching their backs feels irritating. Spinal Galant kids are usually active sleepers – their bedclothes are always tangled in the morning, because even while they sleep, the touch of the sheets and blankets unconsciously bothers them. You can also see Spinal Galant in children who sit on the front of their seats, leaning diagonally backwards to rest their heads on the tops of the chair backs – not touching their backs to the chair at all!
Spinal Galant is extremely important for posture. Children who are constantly wiggling, trying to release the irritation of real or imagined things touching them, don’t tend to sit or stand up very straight. They don’t feel the calm to develop their sense of structure and alignment. On the emotional front, super-wiggly kids can be insecure. It’s hard to feel calm and quiet if you’re involuntarily twitching your back and neck and shoulders.
Here’s a rap to use for integrating Spinal Galant. It’s a nice one to do before sitting down to work with something that requires some concentration. Or any time you are seeing a lot of wiggles!
Four-Way Lean
Lean to the side,
Pull up a bucket.
Lean to the other side,
Pull up a bucket.
Arch your back
And set them down
Now shake shake shake shake
Shake all around.
Lean to the side,
Pull up a bucket.
Lean to the other side,
Pull up a bucket.
Bend forward
And set them down
Now shake shake shake shake
Shake all around.
This is an adaptation of a more extended song called Pull Up a Bucket from Rappin’ on the Reflexes.
Jennifer Mulqueen Milton Jul 03, 2012
We need to get some video clips up!
Thanks Eve.