The following observations and experiences on the processing and training of children were written up and sent in to me by Founding Scientologist Marcia Townsend.
It is an excellent application of standard procedure to children and is released for general interest. It is especially noteworthy to see that standard 0-0 runs just as wonderfully on children as it does on older preclears.
These are all standard Scientology procedures.
Dear Ron:
As you may know, I have given my children several Scientology Courses. Vern and I started when Davy was 3, Denise 4 1/2 and Dane 5 1/2 and they were given a rigorous Academy Course. Surprisingly, it went well-but never flattened — even after a number of hours.
Next about 6 months later they received a shorter course based on the child’s version of “Watch Him” etc written by Rusty Wright then HCO Area Sec.* This was easier but still did not flatten completely.
In Phoenix a year and a half later I ran CCHs on all three children — again they would not flatten. The gains were very good-but signs of unflat processes appeared months afterward (despite gains like a body growth for all three children of 4 clothing sizes in 2 1/2 months) during this time, etc.
When we moved to Los Angeles the McKees and we set up a children’s co-audit. I had been giving mine a co-audit for a few months previously so they had both an HAS Comm Course and a child’s co-audit at this time.
My observations on the use of the processes and training of children follow:
S-C-S run on the group of children as a whole outdoors with a “goon” to help.
Excellent gains — however we had to handle several “can’t stop” ones individually and it became more and more unflat after several hours. I found running a “follow the leader” type S-C-S easier and only 2 or 3 children at one time on this and you need to be on your toes!
On the smaller children mimic processes on the group and follow the leader type stuff with each one getting a turn at leading and winning at it before sitting down worked well. For example:
One child stands up and claps hands once in front-group follows. She being
[*For a full explanation of “Watch Him”, see BTB 5 November 1959R, Revised and Reissued 8 August 1974, Scientology Games for Children.]
shy at first, then claps twice — group follows (adult acts as a goon and makes sure the group does it). When she’s happily clapping over her head and back of her and smiling you then tell her “thank you” and she sits down and the other children do a job as leader one by one. Nearly all group process commands can be introduced in a child’s version like instead of “Look at the front wall” — the Leader (and the adult gets a turn too) points at the front wall — use: Pointing at the front wall — or touching it, etc. Almost any basic process can be made simple for children. The liability is it must be repeated often and long — the harder it is the longer it takes to flatten so only very simple ones can be used — the younger the child the simpler the process or motion must be run over and over to flatten it.
The participation of the group works very well — for instance you have each give an example of:
A time they won at something or some such and does the interest ever rise. Keep to one subject only!
The Comm Course works if very simply given. Confronting is used over and over with no invalidation smirks — comments, etc allowed. If a child is a real problem just watching until he feels he wants to participate sometimes helps. The main job of an adult teaching or supervising children is to see they do not invalidate or evaluate for one another. Also when a large group, switch teams occasionally and make sure no-one gets “cheated”. It seems children always elect one or two “most popular” and everyone wants them! Well, just switch every so often when it seems advisable and make sure everyone gets a chance. This way you can put 8 year olds with teenagers and still succeed.
“Itsa” ran well on the group in L.A. All but one or two did it very well and tone rose accordingly. Too detailed an “itsa” or too limited a subject however ran into some difficulties.
Later I tried to flatten S-C-S on my 3 children and did somewhat and got gains but again it didn’t flatten totally. I think anyone will find if one level isn’t flattened as “itsa” before going on to the next level that the next level will only partially flatten — if at all! Unless run forever with very good wins and then by that time the level beneath it would have run and flattened anyway — right?
So the best method to use on children is the one I am currently using I feel. It is as follows:
Comm Course: Only confronting (which my children have had hours and hours of), no coach, no auditor.
PE Course: Only words to define like
very simple ones done old PE style and “hours” spent on each one with more than a few cognitions per child on each and every word — going back over each word again and again to be sure each is completed!
And the real meat:
Each running the same commands: zero-zero
“What are you willing to talk to me about?”
“What would you like to tell me about that?”
And altho’ we’ve only had a few sessions (we run 3 sessions [2 in session and one observer] 10 minutes each — 5 min breaks or a total of 45 min) 2 or 3 times a week.
This zero-zero is fabulous! It is even flattening unflat processes. For instance my older boy has had some auditing on o/w! He will run a few answers like o/w and come off a withhold then something a bit lighter and etc. Runs wonderfully well. My daughter has trouble usually talking to her “brothers”. She is running real well on this. She’s telling them all about her boyfriends and her feminine things-her room, etc.
My smallest has trouble keeping an itsa going but on this he starts to run present time objects and it leads right into an itsa every time!
What I like is that it seems to be flattening some unflat processes in a funny sort of way. And I won’t need to go to a different command for ages as it seems to be running what can be run on the higher levels just using this one command!
People nearly always overestimate what needs to be done to a child for good gains.
And they nearly always underestimate how long it takes to really flatten just one thing! (Hours and hours.)
Any really simple process could be adapted but would not flatten totally unless the itsa was in totally. That’s a tall order.
I feel zero-zero run flat on a child is the biggest gift a parent can give him.
Do not try to squash their enthusiasm. Instead channel it! If they goof running sessions take them aside after and tell them and let them know that you know they can do better. Never use auditing or training as a punishment or as a last resort.
Auditing should be a “prize”, a “gift”! It helps to make them earn it — doing chores or helping out ! I’ve even gone so far as to make ‘em pay money ! It’s valuable! Be sure they understand this!