I'm Still Standing ! Yeah Yeah Yeah

I'm Still Standing!  I was reminded about this song during Razzamataz Classes last week ,the youngsters were singing with gusto Yeah Yeah Yeah!  And we asked what they think of when they sing the phrase "im still standng".

 " a tightrope walker"   " keeping balanced"  " not giving up" " standing up to bullies" " doing well at Maths"

  Just a few answers we had and all very valid. 

  Are we still standing? 

You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use......   

I know I have had that mask in place and it has been well used. Trying to stay strong for home life, work and those I employ. And is that person behind the mask a wreck? Well, I think she has been. I feel privilaged to work with kids and encourage them to see what's in the story of a song. And we can learn lots from them. Do they have masks? Sometimes yes, but they haven't always learnt to keep them up. Kids show us they are vulnerable, happy and sad and even if they dont want to talk about their feelings, its usually written on their faces or pops out of their mouths!

Our older students do struggle and the mask wearing gets more and more evident which presents anxiety, the chance to perform often as someone else gives them an outlet which enables them to talk and explore emotions. Over the last 2 years we have seen more Tic's and other manifestations of anxiety in our young people and we have been encouraging them to be themselves while also seeking help.

And if you need to know while I'm still standing, you just fade away

Resilience is talked about lots and no more than in business. I think we can learn so much about resilience by looking at our children. They have, in the majority, kept standing. The pressures they have had. the lack of connection, the education they have lost, have all contributed to the wave trying to push them over. Strangely though, when you speak to our kids, its the pressure we put on them that makes all the waves worse. What will exams look like? Will they miss out? These pressures become that extra heavy school rucksack weighing them down. When we remove the added pressure and take that rucksack away our chidren can stand and pressures fade.

Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid

Its a fantastic feeling when the weight has gone, or that trouble is shared. You get that energy, that buzz and that creative you back in the game. Have you ever seen kids at school run out into the playground at lunch time? That massive burst of energy, excitement, the smiles, the carefree attitude. Thats what I think of when I sing the line feeling like a little kid, and you just can't help but smile. For them they survived a morning of spelling, maths or PE and us, well we survived getting the accounts in on time, sending that awkward email or just organising the school run while drnking coffee on the go. 

We can learn so much from children. Take away that added pressure, find a way of dealing with that frog, give it to someone else! Get that person you can take of the mask with, the person you can share with. Learn the best way you can be like a "little kid" so that things can "just fade away" and we can truly say "Im still Standing"