Dear Grown Up, As a parent, I often wonder: How do I teach my child to make good choices? Especially when I am not there to guide her? Who will she trust? In our fast-paced world, teaching our children to recognize, listen to, and trust their instincts is crucial. We are all born with primal gut responses to survive like fight/flight/freeze to make an immediate choice when in harm's way. Or, when using a higher level of this innate sense, it also allows us to decide what choice feels right or wrong to us even when we can't rationalize it logically. This book encourages children to trust their intuition as a guide through life's choices, showcased through the daily life of Elle, a 6-year-old. As each page is turned, the decisions progress from simple ones, such as how to complete her artwork, to more critical ones, like how to protect herself and her sibling from danger. The story ends with a tender glimpse into Elle's future depicted solely through an illustration of her loving mother who exudes confidence in her darling daughter, now an 18-year-old, and her capability to overcome any challenge while remaining true to herself. Childhood is a pivotal period for nurturing this innate sense, as children's brains are still maturing, and they might not be able to logically interpret many experiences such as unsafe situations at school or relationships with a peer or an adult. At the end of this book, you will find an easy guide with 10 age-appropriate activities/example dialogues to promote these decision-making skills in your child. This encourages them to use their intuition and bodily signals as powerful tools alongside their cognitive abilities to make choices that not only feel right to them but also allow them to keep themselves safe. As a devoted educator, non-clinical art therapy instructor for children and adults, a certified Behavior Change Specialist, and an Intuitive Health Coach, I view My Whisper as a book that will spark pivotal conversations about a frequently forgotten component of child development: nurturing the power of self-trust to make the right choices. "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. You have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." ~ Albert Einstein Sending love from my family to yours, Terry Martin
