Not all children are as happy about Hallowe’en as you’d think.

Some of our more lavishly celebrated children’s holidays are planned with extroverted children in mind. What about remaining 30% who are different? 30% of all children are introverts.

Please don’t feel sorry for us. We’re not extroverts who failed to become life of party. Introversion is a legitimate personality type.

I’d like to take a moment to advocate for kids like me. We’re introverts!

Now, don’t get me wrong. We love a good time and we sure love our family. It’s just that we define fun a little differently than our extroverted peers.

Let’s plan a Hallowe’en that works for introverted kids, too. Then we’ll branch out to Christmas and Easter. We’re on a crusade to raise consciousness.

Here are some of things that can stress introverted kids and why.

•INTROVERTS ARE TERRITORIAL.

Someone can’t take our seat, tug at our sweater, put our toy away, grab book out of our hands or scoop us up unexpectedly for a big hug and kiss without ruffling our feathers. Please give us our personal space, no matter how cute we look all dolled up!

•INTROVERTS NEED TIME ALONE TO RECHARGE THEIR BATTERIES.

If forced into a loud, crowded, brightly lit environment full of colors, smells and new sights for too long, we may become exhausted, irritable and out of sorts whether that’s throwing a tantrum or throwing up. For us, less is more. Please limit out experiences of things like this to absolute minimum! Your fun can be our ordeal.

•INTROVERTS VALUE PRIVACY.

Title: Healing Food Addiction Author: Margaret Paul, Ph.D. E-mail: mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com Copyright: © 2003 by Margaret Paul Web Address: http://www.innerbonding.com Word Count: 813 Category: Emotional Healing, Addictions

HEALING FOOD ADDICTION By Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

Hannah was distressed that, with all inner work she had done on herself, she still found herself binge eating.

"There are times when I just can’t stop eating. I feel awful after, but at time I just want another cookie and another until they are all gone. Or I’ll intend to take a few bites of ice cream out of carton and find myself unable to stop until whole carton is gone. I just don’t get why I’m still doing this! And it seems worse since I married Roger, even though I really love him. I just can’t figure this out!"

I asked Hannah to tune into addicted part of her and allow that part to speak about why she needs to fill up with food.

"Well, sometimes I just feel so empty and alone inside. I just can’t stand it. The food makes me feel so much better. I don’t feel so lonely when I’m eating and filled up. But I don’t get why I feel this way. I’m not alone. I have Roger and he loves me."

"It sounds like you want to eat when you feel alone inside, when your Inner Child - which is your feeling self - feels alone and abandoned inside."

"Yes," answered Hannah. "That’s exactly what I feel, but I have no idea how to fill that emptiness and aloneness without food. And why do I feel alone inside when I’m not alone outside?"

The problem is that most people think that empty alone feeling is caused by something outside themselves - such as not having a partner, feeling rejected by someone, being unhappy at a job or not having enough money. Yet that is never what causes inner emptiness and inner aloneness. It is caused by one thing - not taking loving care of yourself, of your feelings, of child within. And we cannot take loving care of ourselves without having a spiritual source to turn to for love, wisdom, guidance and strength.