Nurturing a Child's Intuition
Inuitive Development Through Self-Awareness
The very young child drifts naturally into quiet, introspective periods, allowing for examination and contemplation of experiences. However, as the child enters into day care and school, he or she engages in a more fast-paced, achievement-oriented lifestyle and finds less time to look inward and explore inner thoughts and feelings.
In a busy culture, a child's experience is centered on schooling for much of the day and media entertainments, such as television, video games, and Internet, during the remaining hours. In the school setting, the child perceives discouragement from teachers for engaging in introspective activities such as daydreaming, as well as for sharing inner thoughts and feelings that wander from the set course of high outward achievement.
Nurturing Intuition
According to Sonia Choquette, P.h.D., author of The Wise Child: A Spiritual Guide to Nurturing Your Child's Intuition [New York: Three Rivers Press, 1999], a child develops intuition in three stages.
- Expanding Awareness (Awakening Intuition)
- Embracing Intuition (Accepting and Honoring Intuition)
- Asking for Support (Actively Seeking Intuitive Guidance)
Sonia Choquette recommends that parents create a supportive, accepting family atmosphere in which adults and children both express intuitive feelings. The parents approach intuition in a light-hearted, playful way, remain open-minded and willing to listen and respond to the child's insights, and encourage the child to check in with his or her intuitive feelings when making decisions. She encourages parents to maintain a serene and clutter-free home and to provide opportunities for children to turn inwards such as through guided meditations (See article, Meditating with Children).
Avoiding Over-Stimulation and Over-Achievement
In a culture with a heavy emphasis on competition and achievement in the school setting and significant engrossment in media entertainment outside of school hours, a child may avoid introspective activities and suppress or disconnect from intuitive inner guidance in favor of looking to the social atmosphere for direction in conforming to societal expectations.
The school environment promotes competition amongst peers, drives a child to accomplish ever more in preparation for participation in a never-ending growth economy, and points a child toward the ultimate goal of success based on highest achievement and level of wealth. In this environment, the child perceives that allowing his or her thoughts to drift does not support the goal of outwardly quantifiable achievement.
In an over-worked society, many adults do not take time to turn inward in order to rest and reenergize, but instead turn to escapist entertainments which do not provide true rest and do not provide adequate opportunity to process experiences, make insightful discoveries, or grow in wisdom. A child already engaged in the fast-paced lifestyle follows the lead of his or her parents, caregivers, and teachers in this regard.
In order for a child to continue developing intuitive abilities through increasing self-awareness, the child must feel safe and secure in his or her environment, including within relationships. The child needs a mentor to guide him or her in the intuitive lifestyle.
When parents and caregivers listen without judgment to a child's insights, the child interprets this as respect and encouragement. Even in the face of doubt, disbelief, or disagreement, caregivers can support a child by withholding any negative opinions and allowing the child safe freedom of expression.
A child who spends time exploring and contemplating his or her thoughts and feelings develops self-awareness and the intuitive abilities that come from this inner knowledge. In a fast-paced culture, the pressure to achieve and conform can discourage a child from taking time for self-reflection, development of intuition, and growth of self-awareness. Parents and caregivers can help a child to continue developing his or her authentic self by providing a safe and secure environment and by modeling reflective activities and honoring the child's and their own intuitive guidance.
