Self-Awareness – Life Success Attribute by Indy the Camp Cat

by Andrea Wackerle

ImageMeow, fellow friends, this is Colonel Indy bringing my thoughts to your from my posh chair in Kylie’s office. I just got in from a night of wandering and pondering in these beautiful, snowy woods. Day in and day out I listen to Kylie talk to parents like you. She talks about SOAR’s many different programs, the activities, the food, the lodging, and most important of all – the benefits of SOAR. SOAR has a unique ability to instill Life Success Attributes in our campers and students diagnosed with ADHD and/or Learning Disabilities.

What are Life Success Attributes, you may ask? The Frostig Center “identified six attributes which supported students’ striving for success in school and life.” These six attributes are Self-Awareness, Perseverance, Problem-Solving, Support systems, Goal Setting, and Emotional Coping Strategies. Students who are diagnosed with ADHD and/or Learning Disabilities struggle with life skills. This is precisely why SOAR exists, to help teach life success attributes through adventure programming, one nugget at a time.

So as the cat that I am, I found myself wandering through the woods and thinking about one Attribute in particular, Self-Awareness. As a cat, I know myself pretty darn well. I honestly think I’m pretty hot-to-trot and I have instinctively realized the ways to communicate my needs with these crazy humans around me. Since I recognize my strengths, I want to help my student friends to be more self-aware. I have noticed that many of my student friends come to SOAR labeled and categorized. These “labels” have come with negative undertones, but in reality the traits of my friends are far from negative. Let’s begin to focus on strengths rather than challenges.

Distractible   vs   Multi-Taskable

Oversensitive    vs   Intuitive

Perseverates   vs   Ultra-Focused

Disorganized   vs   Flexible

Day-Dreamer   vs   Creative

Procrastinates   vs   Deadline Dependent

Rigid   vs   Structured

Manipulative   vs   Leadership

Stubborn   vs   Tenacious

How would you want your child to see themselves?

Image

Stay tuned as I touch on each Life Success Attribute over the next few weeks. Signing Off – Colonel Indy

Image

M