PARENTS & EDUCATORS OF INDIGO CHILDREN

Things to Remember When Raising Indigo Children:

-Be creative when setting limits & allow for extra physical energy.

-Without giving these children adult responsibilities, treat them as adults and peers.

-If you say you love them, but treat them in a disrespectful way, they will not trust you.

-Interacting with an Indigo is both work and a privilege.

DON'T FORGET: "They not only know who they are, they also know who you are. You cannot mistake the look of an Indigo Child's eyes and face- very old, deep, and wise. Their eyes are the window to their feelings and soul. They can't seem to "hide" like others can. When you hurt them, they will be disappointed in you, and may even question their wisdom in "choosing" you! But when you love them and recognize who they are, they will open up to you like no other."

Carroll, Lee & Tober, Jan. "The Indigo Children- the new kids have arrived. page 52-54.

"These kids can be very bright, very charming-and impossible to live with. They think of things that are fun and creative at the rate of about 10 per second. While you are trying to put out the fire they set toasting marshmallows on the stove, they are in the bathtub trying to see if goldfish will survive in hot water."

-Natasha Kern, mom, quoted by Nancy Gibbs in Time Magazine.

(Gibbs, Nancy. "The Age of Ritalin." Time Magazine, page 86. November 30, 1998.)

Ten Pointers for Parents of Indigos:
-BE HONEST
-DON'T MANIPULATE
-SHOW THEM RESPECT
-EMPOWER THEM
-RESPECT THEIR PSYCHIC SKILLS
-TEACH THEM ENERGY SHIELDING and GROUNDING SKILLS
-TEACH THEM RELAXATION SKILLS and MEDITATION
-RESPECT THEIR EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL SENSITIVITY
-FIND ALTERNATE THERAPY FOR ADD AND OTHER DISABILITIES
-HELP THEM DEVELOP AWARENESS OF THEIR INDIGO NATURE AND THEIR MISSION IN LIFE

Source: http://www.metagifted.org/

Sternberg discusses how children need to be given proper balance when expressing creativity. “Children need to be able to engage in creative expression in the classroom without fear of ridicule or reprimand. The need for structure, discipline, self restraint, and respect for tradition and convention is as real and important as the need for freedom, spontaneity, innovativeness, and risk taking.”

Working towards the right balance can be a difficult task for teachers and parents. While the students need to be motivated and encouraged, it is also important for them to remain focused and respectful of their classmates. The teacher needs to make sure that they are adhering to all of the school’s rules and regulations. A supportive and nurturing environment seems to foster the greatest amount of creativity in both school and home.

All children need an appropriate level of balance including those who are indigos, gifted, ADD, and ADHD. In fact most adults need a mixed level of stimulation, down time, and creative time as well. It is important for teachers and parents to remember that indigos may express their creativity in a different manner than the typical student, simply due to the aggressive and emotional personality traits that they sometimes possess.

Nickerson, R.S. (1999). Enhancing Creativity. In Sternberg, R.J. (Ed.) Handbook of Creativity, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 407 – 421

The Curriculum for Indigos should offer a wide range of complexity and high-level thinking that caters to varying learning styles. ___________________________________________________________________

Activities that include observing, grouping, classifying; restating, remembering, reviewing; comparing, contrasting; comprehending, understanding; reasoning, judging; applying; designing; and creating are designed to teach both simple and complex thinking.

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Assessments can be used in forms of learning logs, presentations, posters, demonstrations, role-playing, product analysis, selected/specific criteria, written antecdoctal notes, conferences, and/or filmed diaries. Students should have the right to negotiate their options.

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- Carroll, Lee & Tober, Jan. "The Indigo Children, the new kids have arrived" page 94.