Every one of us, at one time or another, has hit a brick wall. There are always a few options - come to a dead stop (give up the dream) or find a way - over, under, around, or through those bricks.

But what are the key characteristics of those folks who persevere - no matter what? Some would probably claim that grit, willpower, and discipline are the most important.

To a very small degree, I would agree - however, I believe the following four traits are even more imperative: 

1. Flexibility - the ability to turn on a dime - take in new information - form a new hypothesis - with the expectation that it will get messy and you will make mistakes while working on a different approach.
2. An Open Mind - be willing to look at change as an exciting adventure - understand that learning something new - that may be contrary to previously closely held beliefs - is how we grow as individuals and collectively as a society. 
3.  Outside-the-Box Thinking - the ability to be creative - see things from multiple angles - and devise solutions (hacks) for any challenge or problem that arises. (And, it is worth repeating, with the expectation that it will get messy and you will make mistakes while working on a different approach.)
4. Kindness and Empathy - simply (crudely) put - no one appreciates an a$$hole. Bullying your way through life may break through some brick walls, but you won't have anyone around you to enjoy the spoils.  

When you find yourself up against your next brick wall - consider exploring the possibilities - and in the process you may even find: a new way forward, your authentic self, and your joy. 

DRC Swag
Exciting news! The DRC merch shop is open! I am in the process of populating it with all-new designs for t-shirts, hoodies, and hats. Let us know if there is a particular item you would like with the DRC logo. Check it out here: https://deep-root-center.printify.me/products
You get great-looking swag, and your purchases support DRC.

DRC Board and Fundraising Committees
DRC is looking for folks who are happiest when they are creating and exploring outside-the-box ideas to join our board or sit on our fundraising committees. We need help sustaining and growing our unique presence in the NoCo. Our flexibility and commitment to diversity generate an ideal environment for folks who value collaboration over competition in our community. Please get in touch if you would like to help.

I have been contemplating the concept of legacies since the Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action, and during my children's visit home for the first time in a very long time and while I was writing a grant with the potential to be a game changer for DRC.

I thought about it on the macro level - how birthrights are the root of gross societal inequity and injustice (as evidenced by the judges of the high court who gutted the precedent of the past 60+ years); and, more importantly, on the individual level - how each of us leaves a legacy that is often the direct opposite of entitlement.  

In terms of the latter, for the past five months, as one of her caretakers, I have been a direct witness to a matriarch who, despite her (terribly unfair)  illness (which has literally taken her voice and much of her mobility), still retains her enduring spark of life as evidenced by her contagious humor (and giggles), generosity, gratitude, intelligence, positivity, and familial devotion. Her children, grandchildren, and friends are abundantly aware of how fortunate they are to receive these beautiful gifts as their living legacy.

While writing the grant, I had to explain DRC's value to our wider community and why we consider ourselves successful. I realized in the midst of laboring over the concise 150-word answers that these could be defined as our legacy - and it is embedded in our commitment to being the only non-coercive, safe, flexible educational environment in the NoCo that works with any child who needs us, no matter their family's financial situation, which has created a diverse community to be proud of. Our success is defined by our ability to take their interests and aspirations and use them as the basis for their learning plans - which ultimately leads to happy kids excited about learning and exploring new possibilities.  

It sounds cheesy and unrealistic when faced with our current reality; nevertheless, we all have the opportunity to consciously and purposely, with gratitude and humility, find (be) the good in every situation and work toward making the world a better place.

How would you define your legacy if you had to explain it in 150 words or less? 

Register today!

Summer Program
There are only a few spots left for each week. Register your child today.

We are always seeking innovative ways to raise funds for DRC. Our needs are many. We require funds to: hire and pay staff a living wage, pay off the mortgage and renovate and expand the Canton Center, find and purchase a new home for the Massena Center, and all of the other things on the list of any other not-for-profit.

If you have any ideas for grants or other fundraising endeavors, or are interested in joining the fundraising committee, please get in touch. We are also seeking dynamic, energetic, outside the box thinking folks to join our Board. Thank you!

Did you just read the title in that whiny child voice that echoes through every parent's head and strikes fear in their hearts? It is such a dreadfully annoying utterance many cave and become the ringmaster of their very own three-ring circus for two months - simply because those cranky, fractious voices send them over the edge. And they are afraid bored kids lead to dull minds and laziness. (Or, maybe our Puritanical roots are to blame - we fear that "idle hands are the devil's workshop.")

What if I told you there was a way to increase your child's creativity, imagination, and problem-solving skills without managing an over-the-top, exhausting schedule that only serves as a stop-gap?  

It is really quite simple - try saying "good" as your only response to "I'm bored." And then walk away, turn up the volume on your earbuds, or bury yourself in your own creative activity.

Here's the layman's explanation of the science behind that one-word reply: our brain needs downtime - it allows the gears in the background to begin turning and the accumulated experiences, thoughts, and stored knowledge, time to coalesce into really cool ideas or solutions to a problem it is working on. This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as an "aha moment."

Kids don't require "canned" (pre-chewed activities) or busyness to survive. In fact, they are better served by slowing down, being "bored," and allowing their extraordinary brains to run rampant - giving them time to experiment, explore, and play. That, for some, is a scary thought. Because all that untethered creativity is quite often unpredictable and really, really messy.

We tend to forget that uncertainty, chaos, and disorder are where creativity and learning collide, leading to unbound innovation and discovery.  

Let them be bored and stand back to watch in amazement as their creativity, imagination, and problem-solving skills soar. It is well worth the mess and those few moments of cringy discomfort upon hearing that dreaded two-word declaration this summer.

,Stay tuned for Fundraising News - we are planning a Craft Fair in Massena in August. We will have details within the next week. In the meantime you can help keep DRC alive by contributing on our donation page or purchasing an item on our Amazon wishlist. It will be sent directly to us.
Thank you!

Happy 4th of July!