The parent always has to act in the best interests of the child!
The Children’s Act 38 of 2005 states numerous times throughout the Act the fundamental principle of the “best interests of the child” in all matters concerning the care, protection, and well-being of children in South Africa. Disclaimer – I am not claiming to know and understand the law to its fullest, I am not a professional in lawmaking, so kindly do seek advice from professionals qualified in this regard. For parents wanting to make decisions around education paths for their children, I highly recommend you consult the Pestalozzi Trust first to obtain legal advice on the path you might choose in the best interests of your child.

It is also important to note that if the parent is in a place of worry and high anxiety, it is not possible to make clear and healthy decisions in the best interests of the child! It is thus of most importance that you relax and BREATHE!  When you are relaxed you; have a clear mind to gather and process needed information to make better choices in the best interests of the child!

There is no parenting manual – not even for typical kids. Parenting is a journey of trial and error. Remember that it is okay for humans to make mistakes/wrong choices, as long as you can always show that you’ve made the best decisions in any given moment in time, with what you have known at thàt moment. As we journey along, we discover more information and facts and then we adjust our previous decisions/choices. If you are on a good track with your child, you keep going. If not, you can always turn left/right or around to find a better path than the one you are on right now.

Step back, breathe, gather all the information you can, process the information, PRAY and then move forward to the next step in confidence with His guidance!

James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Give yourself and your child the GIFT OF TIME! 
When you parent, it is not wise to compare your child with other children, especially if you parent and navigate neurobiologically different children, even more so when they are 2e! You need time to understand your child’s 2E-ness which includes your child’s neurobiological high potential and challenges!! No matter the gift/challenge, time is always the best therapy ever! And as Dr Susan Baum, Ph.D. – an educator, author, consultant, and Director of the 2e Center for Research and Professional Development and often a guest in the Bright and Quirky IdeaLab which I am a founding member of  – says, give the gift of time!! 

Dr. Susan Baum’s perspective on the “gift of time” for high potential kids is in the context of giving these kids the “gift of time” in relation to their unique needs and challenges.

Another gifted educator, Austina De Bonte, explains that high potential kids (2e) need the gift of time because they often struggle with time management and executive functioning skills. For instance, they might complete their homework but forget to turn it in, or lose track of time and then do not complete the tasks on time.

Sarah Ward has mentioned the concept of “Einstein time” versus “Newtonian time.” Many high potential kids (2e) operate on their own sense of time! It can be challenging when they need to adapt to the structured time demands of the world around them.

But the bottom line is that the “gift of time” refers to understanding and accommodating the unique ways high potential kids (2e) perceive and manage time, helping them develop the skills they need to succeed in structured environments while honoring their individual experiences of time. Bring this concept back to the fundamental principle of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 that states always in the “best interests of the child”, the best interests of YOUR CHILD, do not look like the best interests of all the other children!!! You, the parent, also need the gift of time to observe YOUR CHILD and to process information around their unique neurobiological differences to make the best decisions in YOUR CHILD’s best interests! Do not let the Department of Education or any member (professional or otherwise) of society bully you into rash decisions about therapies/medication or educational paths for YOUR CHILD. YES, we have to honor the law – ALWAYS! And the “best interests of the child”, are also part of the law, not just the policies and laws of the Department of Education.

Parents (Dads and Moms!), step back, breathe, gather all the information you can and need, process the information, PRAY and then move forward to the next step confidently in the “best interests of YOUR child” with His guidance!

Just saying!
♫♥️Ah,Willa!♥️♫

#justsaying #together #letsdothis #Pluto #parenting