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Episode 075. The 7-Year Change: Insights into What’s Going on with Your 7-Year-Old with Jessica Stack

Episode 075

If you’re listening to this, you probably have a seven-year-old or a child near that age…we all know that kids have curious minds and listening ears. If you’re listening to this episode around or near them or are in the car with them, just a heads up that in this episode around the 40- minute mark we talk about Santa Claus and the magic of Christmas and how we celebrate and present that to our children. Just mentioning it because I want to honor that every family has their own way of celebrating holidays and traditions…also, listening ears and curious minds and all that. I invite you to use your own discretion.

My oldest turns 7 years old this week. In honor of this big transition, I’ve invited educator Jessica Stack onto the show to share insights about this particular age.

Have you noticed that your 7-year-old is talking back more? Or expressing defiance? Skepticism? Suddenly not trying or eating foods they loved before? Sensory challenges? Unable to sit still at the dinner table? Maybe out of the blue your child needs glasses? Or you get the sense that they don’t see the world the same as they did just a short time ago. This new Independence and defiance can really catch us off guard as parents…what happened to our babies!?

The changes at this age aren’t all shocking…they might also be expressing heightened curiosity and a desire to seek out more in the world like wanting to know “the facts” about what’s the biggest, fastest, tallest, etc. and how things work. You may have also noticed they have a heightened sense of competition and comparison (wanting to be better than). Or even a resistance to learning because your 7-year-old tells you they feel like they “aren’t good enough” or can’t draw or write out what it is that’s in their head.

If any or all of this describes you or your child, you’re not alone! Our babies aren’t our babies anymore! We’ve got big kids! And one of the best ways we can help them through this transition is to understand more about what it is they are going through.

It’s really easy to see this age shift as a big pain, but Jess and I want to encourage you to be curious about this age and all the change that it brings.

Jessica’s Bio: Jess is a Hawaii mom who has worked in public, private, and Waldorf schools, giving her a unique perspective on child development. She has a passion for the theater, visual arts, food, and helping others. Jess holds a Bachelor of Education from University of Hawaii Manoa and a Diploma of Rudolf Steiner Education from Taruna College in New Zealand. She and her husband Will live on the island of Oahu with their two sons.

What Jessica & I talk about in this episode:

  • The beauty and challenge of this transition
  • Child development as cyclical instead of linear
  • Looking at the 12 senses as a way to make sense (see Episode 74)
  • The Lower Senses: Touch, Life, Movement, & Balance (age 0-7)
  • The Middles senses: Warmth, Taste, (ages 7-14)
  • The role of the sense of touch at this age that moves into the warmth sense
  • Sense of life moves into
  • Looking back to look forward
  • Looking forward helps us plan for where we want to go with our parenting
  • The sense of Touch growing into the sense of Warmth growing into the sense of Ego
  • Knowing what is inside you and being resilient for
  • A 7-year-old child is transitioning out of the lower senses into the middle senses
  • The changing of the teeth and the role teeth play in the 7-year change (teeth coming in are uncomfortable)
  • Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
  • How we can have more empathy for our kids
  • Copaiba oil to combat crankiness
  • Creating space for our kids to find their own solutions
  • Book: You Are Your Child’s First Teacher
  • Book: Simplicity Parenting by Kim Jung Payne
  • Control
  • Inner ear and vestibular development
  • How fears or behaviors might seem to change overnight when a child turns 7
  • Sense of taste developing around this age (which explains some sudden picky eating & aversions!)
  • Bringing back “the kids’ table”
  • Looking at expectations to see if we are asking enough or not enough of our kids
  • Jess walks us through a brain gym exercise to release tension
  • Integration
  • Breathwork
  • Using essential oils with our kids to support them during changes
  • How mood is connected to health
  • Marking times/rhythms
  • Bringing humor into the mix
  • Modeling truth, goodness, & beauty right now with this age in this time
  • The role of self-reflection in parenting
  • The importance of aligning our actions and our values
  • Being flexible
  • The slow separation at this age is normal
  • Plus Jess’s one piece of advice for getting through this year, age, & stage!

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SPONSORS

Blossom & Root: Today’s episode of Elevating Motherhood is sponsored by Blossom & Root a nature-based, Charlotte Mason inspired homeschool curriculum company that has been gently guiding and supporting families for years! This thoughtful, age appropriate curriculum begins at the preschool level (and acts as a much needed resource for that age group).

Blossom & Root is the curriculum my family uses and loves. The information and ideas are easy to follow, fun, and engaging. Preschool and school age curricula are available with more grade levels being released each year. Blossom & Root has generously offered a discount for listeners of Elevating Motherhood: use the code LORIBETH10 at checkout for 10% OFF your order.

For more information about Blossom & Root, head over to www.elevatingmotherhood.com/homeschool

Primally Pure: Thanks for Primally Pure for supporting today’s episode. Primally Pure, is one of my favorite companies. They excel at creating safe, natural skin care products made with quality ingredients. Primally Pure has become my go-to brand for clean, non-toxic face cleaners, creams, and serums. They’re also the makers of my favorite all-natural (& effective!) deodorant. (I love their blue tansy one). Their palo santo collection they recently released is another favorite of mine. I keep one They’ve generously offered a discount code for listeners: be sure to use the code: LORIBETH10 for 10% OFF your first order. For my personal review of their products, head over to www.elevatingmotherhood.com/primallypure

LINKS

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