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Erato - "Awakener of Desire," plays the smaller lyre and is the muse of love and erotic poetry and of mime - non-verbal communication. In her more esoteric and cosmic aspect, Erato represents polarization and the force that compels the extremes to carnal and spiritual union to achieve completeness and unity.
Child sexual development can be both confusing and embarrassing for both children and adults. They want to give children information but not too much. Children develop at different rates, bu there are actions that seem to be common at certain ages. It is therefore of utmost importance that parents and educators have an overall understanding of childhood sexual development as such knowledge will empower them to help their children achieve healthy sexual development. In general terms, these are the normal stages of a child's sexual development: birth to two years old - babies as old as three to five months may touch their private parts . For children, touching their private parts and masturbating is calming and relaxing. They do not feel the same way as adults do when engaged in such acts. They recognize that there is a difference betwenn male and female, these being related to body parts, to expectations from society and to the way they are treated. Two to five years old - children learn to dress and undress. May children love to be naked. They may be interested in seeing how other look under their clothes, which is a normal behaviour. The problem is when they want to get undressed all the time and too often engage in sex play with other children. Boys and girls masturbate as a natural way of exploring their bodies and it also helps them feel relaxed and calm. Children at this age will begin to use language to name their body parts and functions. Children may be more comfortable using slangs, which can whether confusing as they may mean different things to different people or embarrassing, depending on the situation, if they don't know the right words. Therefore, it is important for them to know the correct words as they need to be able to communicate with doctors, teachers and caregivers. Six to nine years old - boys and girls look noticeably different. By the end of this time, some girls may begin the first stages of puberty. Pimples, oily skin, sweating and the need of deodorant become a problem. Although signs of sexual development, children don't see them that way but rather as a cause for embarrassment. Children learn a lot about sexuality at this stage and engage a lot more in the use of sexual language to insult or to show others what they know. In these years they understand the mystery that surrounds human sexuality and the importance of appropriateness of sexual behaviour. Ten to twelve years old - the sexual development is very active as they continue to be curious about sexuality. Some girls start having periods and their breasts begin to develop. Boys' voices change and they start growing pubic hair. During these times of new physical urges and rapid body changes, they become inquisitive about this new reality. Although both children and adults may feel embarrassed to discuss to explore these subjects, it is good for both to talk about sexuality as well as it is good for the former to enhance its understanding through education and exploration.
In times when child sexual abuse and victimization is a growing concern in the minds of parents and educators, it is important for our children to know how to cultivate their sexual energy so that they can enjoy its full benefits. How wonderful it would be to see more parents involved in the sexual education of their children, which often is relegated to the child's school and friends. Ancient mystical traditions have taught the western world that proper cultivation of this "gift from the gods" has a high impact on other aspects of the human being - physical health and longevity, development of high quality feelings such as love and compassion and a significant enhancement of the intellectual and spiritual energy. Again, the muses are nine in number and one in essence as their offices are all intertwined. Hail Erato!!!
Melpomene - "The singer," muse of tragedy. She is portrayed holding a tragic mask or sword, and sometimes wearing a wreath of ivy and cothurnus boots.
Violence may have unforeseen and tragic effects on children. The death of a close family member or pet can devastate a child. Acts of violence and tragic events have an overly negative impact on different levels including individual, family and community. While material losses can sometimes be substituted or reconstructed, psychological harm does not heal as easily. Despite children's inborn resilience, acute stress reactions are normal following tragic events. The often intertwined contributions of economic, cultural religious and community factors have an enormous impact on child's response to stress. Children who have experienced trauma feel a loss of safety and trust. The world, as they know it, is no longer the same and they suffer from emotional and physical insecurity. As a result, they may feel overwhelming fear, powerlessness and a loss of control, which creates a state of emotional and cognitive turmoil. It takes time before the reality of the event finally sets in. When that happens, an array of overwhelming reactions foloows such as fear, rage, despair and loss. Children should be allowed to experience and express emotions at their own pace. They should be met where they are emotionally and not be told to move on to the next stage or told to "get over it." Bringing order to this mix of scary memories is important in working with children dealing with trauma and loss. Tapping into the children's systems of belief may provide a source of significant comfort, even though severe trauma may temporarily or permanently cause a victim to lose faith in her spiritual beliefs. This is a normal reaction and in many cases a temporary change that reverses itself over time.
Children's responses to trauma should be understood. Reactions to trauma typically vary by age and developmental level and should be viewed within the context of the social-cognitive processes occurring during each developmental stage. As mentioned previously, children are often overwhelmed by their feelings after a traumatic event. As a way of coping, many children suppress these feelings in the hope that they will go away or because they feel unable to cope with them at the time. Unexpressed emotions may emerge in unexpected ways. Helping children to acknowledge and express their feelings can help in their healing process. These stress reactions vary depending on the developmental stage of the child, the level of exposure to the stress and the type of exposure. Efforts should be made not to "over-medicalize" the normal reactions of children to these events. Infants to six years old - preschoolers engage in imaginary thinking, develop fears of separation and rejection. They believe that the images portrayed on TV represent events occurring close to home. They have difficulty in understanding others' points of view and may mistakenly think that the event is their fault. They may exhibit sleep problems and 'clinging behaviour' ( refusing to leave their caretaker's side, worrying that something bad will happen ). Seven to eleven years old - children within this age range acquire the ability to consider others’ viewpoints. However, they may not understand the full impact of a traumatic event. They can display inappropriate or unpredictable behaviour, deny affect and focus on details. Bed-wetting, thumb sucking, baby talk, and withdrawal may be observed. They often become fearful, confused, and anxious following a traumatic event. School-related issues are also common, such as lack of concentration, refusal to attend school, aggression, increased defiance, and hyperactivity. Children of this age are particularly focused on their own and their family’s safety, paying close attention to parents’ anxieties and concerns. Finally, children may experience loss of interest in activities and participate in repetitious traumatic play in retelling the story.
Melpomene acknowledges and values the dark side of our existence, which she honours through her rulership of elegies and tragedies. She knows that when mortals willingly open their hearts and minds when entering the darker realm of life, they not only become stronger but wiser and more aware of themselves and of their potential for achievements.
Clio - "giver of fame", muse of history. Also considered to be the source of inspiration for public and professional success. She is represented holding an open scroll or seated beside a chest of books.
She is the scholar and investigator who is aware that from recording our past we learn from both our mistakes and successes, which enables us to build a promising future.
As parents, it could not be furthest away from our minds what our child's career choices are as we are mostly concerned with the child's school performance and development of basic social skills through play and interaction with his/her friends. That does not mean, however, that career choice is a subject to be ignored during the child's early years. From an early age children should be motivated to consider the following topics:
- What do they enjoy doing?
- What do they want to be when they grow up?
- Do they understand how different jobs make up the society that they live in?
- The importance of being an active and constructive member of society.
- The results of not being a positive and constructive member of society.
Clio represents the drive that compels us to put our talents and skills to work as a contribution to a stable and better society and thereby she grants us with pleasant and motivating feelings of self-fulfilment.
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