Education for Life Methods
About "Specific Gravity"—Main Points

1. All of life, all the material world, in fact, consists primarily of energy.

2. When we see the energy behind our children’s actions, it gives us clues as to how to motivate them.

3. Other words for energy in this context might be consciousness, intention, vibration, biofield, or congruence.

4. When children are unmotivated—unwilling, uncooperative, and negative—we call their energy heavy. They are motivated chiefly by the desire to avoid pain. Negative consequences (such as, you can do this or go to your room) are appropriate when children are stuck in this energy, at no other time.
       An even better way to get them unstuck is to get them moving, doing anything. Action is the answer!

5. When children can be motivated by their desire to get something we call them ego-active. They want something for themselves, whether it’s praise, another star on a star chart, success, or to go play at a friend’s house. The ego-active level is energetic, but often restless and un-centered.

6. When children are not thinking of themselves, but are enjoying a process or activity in and for itself, they are light. At this level they are motivated to help others (this is a time you can say, “Your little sister is unhappy, will you play with her?” and get a positive response) and to seek truth (learn, grow, expand).

7. We always want to offer children a motivation at least on the level of energy they are operating on, or an even higher level to encourage them to reach upward. If you offer a lower motivation, for example the threat of punishment when a reward would work, or a reward when they’ll do it for the joy of it, you bring them down to a lower level. The goal is to have them be intrinsically motivated, not externally motivated.

8. If we force a child to behave at the light level when their energy is heavy, we do them a disservice, as they will probably resent the behavior. For example, forcing a child to share his toy when he is feeling contractive and heavy may make him resent sharing.

9. Of course, these levels represent a continuum, not three clear levels. We have to be calm and centered ourselves to feel where a child is and how we can appeal to him.

10. Humor is almost as good as action to change the energy. Often you can get children to completely shift from uncooperativeness to cooperation by simply making the activity fun! Music is another great energy changer; it can energize or calm.