All the parents trying to make the best decisions for their children during a global pandemic.  Your greatest wish is for them to be safe.  Your anger, resentment, and fear are justified.

The caring and empathetic policymakers who are simply trying to do the right thing - but suffer ridicule if they do and are damned if they don't. Your frustration is palpable and justified.

But most especially the children who are the pawns in a game, which has no rules and no foreseeable conclusion. One that the bookies, even if they tried, cannot create a spreadsheet (or formula) to predict an outcome.  The mechanisms you employ to combat your anxiety, unease, inability to settle and concentrate are all justified.

I see you all, and I am here to listen.

​DRC has a COVID Safety Plan in place for our regular programs, as well as our Extended Afternoon Program for those kiddos who attend public or private school and need a safe place for the afternoon.

​Our first day is Tuesday, September 7th.  Both the Canton and Lawrenceville Peeps will gather as a community on my land in Pierrepont to play in the woods, brainstorm class and activities for our hybrid schedule, and get to know each other.  If you feel that DRC would be the best option for your child - we still have a few spaces open at each Center. Contact us today.

The Afternoon Program in Canton has available openings as well. Learn more and register here.
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Oftentimes, as parents, we get so caught up in making sure all the pertinent, societally determined boxes get ticked off that we forget to, regularly, take our child's emotional temperature. Then we notice that behaviors seem to have cropped up out of nowhere. But then we step back and realize they have been festering for a while. 
 
We all understand that science has proven over and over that positive emotion is the best place to begin any new experience. And conversely, negative emotion shuts it down. Yet, we get busy and overwhelmed by daily life and forget that immersing ourselves in positive situations and environments allows our brains to generate compounds that stimulate the desire to explore, engage, be creative - and learn! 
 
All of this is not to say that we have to stifle those negative feelings in ourselves or our children when they pop up. I am referring to lengthy submersion in the chemical cocktails surrounding depression, sadness, anxiety, and fear. Or even long-term frustration and resentment.  
 
Many kids don't express their unhappiness with words; they may:

• Disconnect and stop talking to you about mundane everyday "stuff." (This does not necessarily happen, naturally, as they get older, as society has told us.)
• Have meltdowns frequently over seemingly inconsequential matters. 
• Become clingy (needy) or, on the opposite end, push you away.
• Lose interest in food or, seemingly, eat all the time.  
• Have changed sleep habits, including nightmares or bedwetting.
• Have dramatic personality changes. 

The above is an abbreviated list, and these signs don't always mean that your child is totally miserable or in trouble - they may simply be going through a growth spurt, are tackling another developmental milestone, or are having a problem with the school environment.   
 
In my direct experience, there is a rapid and intense change in demeanor when parents discover that their child's particular issue is directly related to something at school, and they seek out my help. Often by merely changing the conditions, along with the people who support and nurture them every day, they become happier and less stressed.  
 
However, if these behaviors are ongoing, and your child is not forthcoming when you try to engage them in a casual and non-intimidating manner, it may be time to talk to a professional who can determine if you need to address particular issues.  

Additional Reading:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5573739/
https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/the-role-of-emotions-in-learning/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/202103/forced-schooling-anxiety-and-learning-disorders
https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/depression.html
https://www.childrens.com/health-wellness/signs-of-depression-in-children
https://www.thewholechild.org/parent-resources/age-6-12/child-depression-ages-6-12/

DRC News
The DRC Exploration Station Summer Program has a few spots left for these last two weeks.  Register here.                        

Every human is born with natural decision-making ability.  Unfortunately, some have lost their capacity through conditioning.  

I have always been decisive – I would say (as would those who know and love me) that determination (stubbornness) is a large part of my personality.  My husband, Mike, jokes that I can walk into a furniture store to shop for a couch and come out ten minutes later having made the purchase.  

I don’t waffle, and I don’t second guess; I quite, simply, jump in and go for it.  Yes!  I do my homework and make informed choices (measure twice – cut once).  I trust the experts and the process.  However, I have always understood that nothing is permanent and, in my mind, never totally finished – everything is a work in progress.   When you learn more – you merely adjust your original calculations (the simplest definition of science).  

When I make those inevitable mistakes or missteps, I work to own them and rectify them.  I also understand going in that some fixes will be more expensive than others.  Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop me.  

The thing is, failing to make a decision is a decision in itself.  One that can be (way more) harmful, painful, and costly than any other path you could have actively chosen. 

​The DRC Summer Programs, open to any family in the NoCo, begin tomorrow and run for three weeks. Register today.  

Afternoon Programs begin September 7th.  DRC is here for any family who needs a fun, creative, and safe space for their child to hang out during weekday afternoons.  Register here.

DRC regular programming also begins, September 7th.  If you (and your child) are ready to opt out of school - get in touch.  We are here for you and will walk you through the logistics.  

About a year ago, I watched a short YouTube video by Simon Sinek, the author of Start with Why. My interpretation of his thesis is that our "why" is the story behind our "what" and "how."  It is what people genuinely want to know about us, and consequently, it is what "sells" us.

This concept struck me hard, and for weeks (months) afterward, my subconscious was working on my personal "why," which, for many reasons (some more obvious than others), is inextricably tied to DRC's "why."

It remained buried inside my head until Liam Crossen, a videographer from Boston visited DRC in mid-November (the last three days before we went remote because of COVID) to produce marketing videos for us. He spent his time interviewing staff, parents, and our kiddos - as well as capturing the every day action. He saved my interview for the last day, right before he had to return home.

During the interview, I was finally able to articulate my (and DRC's) "why."  Maybe it was, at long last, fully formed and ready to come out, or possibly Liam was asking the right questions. In any case, It felt correct and authentic, and nine months later,it still does.

I think this statement, which continues: learning can only happen when kids intuitively understand that they are secure, accepted, and trusted to make decisions, make mistakes, and explore all their interests to achieve their ever-evolving aspirations thoroughly explains why Deep Root Center exists. It implicitly describes our philosophy and our innate trust in kids. It is why our "pay what you can" policy exists.  And it perfectly expresses why I am passionate about dedicating my time, skills, and energy to this organization. 

Summer Programs -  We have several openings for the first week. However, the last two weeks are nearly full - register soon if your child wants to participate.

Membership: The Canton Center has space for a few more kiddos this Fall.  Check us out before we are at capacity - with a waiting list.   

I will be in Chicago with family, celebrating my son, Ian's, wedding between the 4th -10th.  Therefore, I will not be checking or responding to messages as frequently as usual, and there will probably not be a Blog posting next Sunday.