Whimsy Farm was founded on our strongly held belief that every child should have the opportunity to pursue his or her education in an atmosphere free of fear. The principles of attention, balance and compassion are at the core of each child's experience at Whimsy Farm. Children are supported and nurtured in the discovery of themselves as learners, members of a community and secure and self-assured individuals. These attributes are taught and nourished in a community permeated by the core values of compassion, tolerance and acceptance. Our philosopy of education is consistent with our appreciation for the holistic nature of the learner. We encourage each learner to bring his or her own curiosity to the core curriculum. We aspire, with each child, to educational excellence. At the heart of instruction is the maxim to never lose one's sense of wonder and creative exploration.
WHIMSY
FARM
WELCOME TO WHIMSY FARM
Whimsy Farm is a private, therapeutic boarding school offering caring and nurturing solutions for the families of struggling girls and boys. We specialize in helping young people who are fearful and school avoidant or school phobic, being bullied or not able to "fit in" or thrive in a traditional academic setting. Clinically we help our students with a variety of issues, including: Anxiety Disorders, Mood Disorders, Learning Disabilities, ADHD, adoption-related issues and Autism Spectrum Disorders. All of our services are individualized to best meet the needs of each student.
A NATIONAL CRISIS
According to the national Institute of mental health, twenty five percent of children in America have a diagnosable anxiety disorder. This prevalence indicates that anxiety disorders are the most frequently diagnosed mental health disorders in children and adolescents.
Avoidance is a big part of anxiety. Rather than face their anxiety, many children suffering from the disorder will “check out,” or stay at home, avoiding others and isolating themselves from school, interests and friendships. Once in this cycle of fear, anxiety, and avoidance, it becomes seemingly impossible for families to respond effectively. Children and adolescents with anxiety disorders get to a point where they cannot function; agitation and restlessness, problems with eating and sleeping, isolation from social interactions, and school avoidance or school refusal are key indicators that real intervention is needed. Bullying, the effects of which have commanded greater attention in recent years, is a major culprit in the sentencing of a child to the lonely imprisonment of isolation.
Increasingly, psychological and social science research supports that being bullied can cause lasting damage to those who experience it. Bullying produces fear and self-doubt. Often, perceived differences about a child may set them apart from others. Distinctions such as their sexual orientation, gender identity, racial or religious status, physical size, and emotional temperament, make them more vulnerable to bullying. Co-occurring mental health issues such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Anxiety and Mood Disorders, and Specific Learning Disabilities may also put a child at greater risk. In cyclical fashion, children who experience bullying are more susceptible to depression and anxiety disorders as well as physical symptoms and avoidance behavior. Additionally, and most troubling, thoughts and feelings of suicide are much higher in this group of children.
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Over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each year.
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1 in 4 teachers see nothing wrong with bullying and will only intervene 4 percent of the time.
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Approximately 160,000 teens skip school every day because of bullying.
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1 in 7 students in grades K-12 is either a bully or a victim of bullying.
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56 percent of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying at school.
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Over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective.
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71 percent of students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school.
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90 percent of 4th through 8th graders report being victims of bullying.
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1 out 10 students drop out of school because of repeated bullying.
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Harassment and bullying have been linked to 75 percent of school-shooting incidents.
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Physical bullying increases in elementary school, peaks in middle school and declines in high school. Verbal abuse, on the other hand, remains constant.
THE WHIMSY FARM RESPONSE
The rise in fearful, anxious and avoidant behavior in children over the past decades has been explained in a variety of different and, at times, divergent ways. Here at Whimsy Farm we have developed what we believe to be a comprehensive and holistic approach, or design for living. Central to the idea of a free and hopeful life is the nourishing of the individual in the 3 domains of Mind, Body, and Spirit.
Whimsy Farm believes in academic rigor and excellence grounded in the fertile soil of curiosity and exploration. We encourage our students to revere intellectual traditions while challenging themselves to push the limits of their studies and their imaginations. Individualized education with emphasis on executive functioning and skills development opens possibilities for scholarly pursuits that allow mastery and exploration to work hand in hand. We are committed to challenging our students to squeeze every drop from their educational experience, and to help mold them into excellent students in the future.
The benefits of physical activity and wellness on cognitive function and emotional well being have been broadly researched and supported. Experiencing the value and rewards of physical activity permeates life at Whimsy Farm. Use of the natural resources that our area provides opens the door for connecting with individualized sports and athletic pursuits that last a lifetime. A menu of whole foods characterizes the diet at Whimsy Farm. Organic produce and healthful choices are examples of our commitment to take advantage of what the research tells us about the connection between food and our emotional well-being. Yoga is a central activity at Whimsy Farm. Yoga has been demonstrated to have a very positive impact on body, mind, and spirit. It is physically rewarding as well as a mindful practice that has an ameliorative impact on stress and anxiety.
In addition to yoga, the mindful practices of stress reduction and meditation are important elements of daily life at Whimsy Farm. The sense of self-worth and confidence that result from these activities are foundational. It is our goal that every Whimsy Farm student develop these essential tools. Compassion, integrity and tolerance are at the heart of the Whimsy Farm way of life. Each student is honored and revered for their individual personhood and encouraged to acknowledge and value that in others.
The Whimsy Farm approach to therapeutic education endeavors to impart on each of its student a core sense of self worth and efficacy. Facing the world with these attributes will allow them to take risks, contribute to the whole and help others with a sense of courage and mastery.