• Intensity:  There is nothing that will pay off as many dividends as doing activities with your child (or even your spouse) using great intensity. It's having one thing on your mind that engages that soul sitting before you. To be excited, even if you have to fake it at first, will bring all those in your area of influence up to a high interest level, not to mention what good results it will have for you! Dale Carnegie once said, "If you act enthusiastic you will be enthusiastic!"Talk about getting the cobwebs out! It's like infusing the air with helium; things change and become lighter, fun and sometimes even funny with an attitude of intensity. We are all very capable of changing our state of mind, even if we're tired. In fact, it's like a good mental exercise akin to what aerobics does for the body.  So, in this new season, set yourself to a new approach, one of intensity. For changing the functioning level in your child it will require two minutes of your time twice a day per activity!  Not too much to ask, do you think?
  
  
• Duration:   For the purposes of our program and to get the best response from the brain, short bursts of a learning or ND activities are really more productive than 30-40 minute sessions. The human brain, especially a child's brain need short duration, with intensity to achieve the greatest impact.  I recall a mother who had been a teacher by profession. Jan told her how to instruct her child, "Don't try to make him sit there for more than 5 to 10 minutes when teaching him," Jan had said. The mother's comment was, "We'll never get anything accomplished!"  With a quiet calming voice Jan said, "Let's give this method a good try for the next four months. Don't worry about the amount of coverage of the subject matter. What we want first is to improve your son's functioning ability. That's what I'd like you to focus on, ok?"  The mother agreed, as she had all but tied this son of hers to a chair to try to get him to learn prior to coming in for an evaluation. In about three weeks Jan heard back from her that she could see some progress, even though she felt like she was somehow "cheating" by not spending more time.  And, she was grateful for no longer having to deal with their little battles that had always ensued in the past. Needless to say, by the end of the four months, she was ecstatic. She was able to move out of her long-held belief that more was better.  She now understood that when her son's brain got organized and his processing abilities were in line with his grade level, he voluntarily spent more time doing his studies, as he could grasp concepts, recall information and had learned to enjoy the process of learning and understanding. His spirit was soaring as he rode the columns of satisfying, confidence-building success, rather than the pounding of his heart and soul from daily failures and anxiety.

• Frequency:  In some ways you can approach working with the brain in the same manner you would acquire a good golf swing. You keep repeating the stroke until you have a groove. Frequently repeating an activity is what helps to perfect it. The same is true in forcing the plasticity of the brain to respond by doing its job creating new neuro-pathways. Doing something two or three times a day is key to gaining functional ability, as well as proficiency.  In the case of the LGS Neurodevelopmental Program, it's the why we do things, then how we do them, and how often. If you put a fun attitude toward the program and view it as a period of time to enjoy each other's company during these focused times of short bursts of activities, a couple of times a day, you will never look back at these times in any way but as being precious, special times. 

In my own case, it was the two years my son was on program that we set the foundation for the very special relationship that has existed throughout our lives. We truly appreciate each other, respect the sacrifices we both made, appreciate the memories, and love the life those times have forged for each of us.  So, don't be short-sighted about how much of a curse you have to deal with, when it truly can be a wonderful blessing for both of you.  Keep it fun and keep it going. Your payback will astound you as you travel beyond "fixing" the learning disability!  Trust me, it's priceless!