From: Dr. Dennis Perman (Masters9@aol.com) Dear Doctor, In our culture, we tend to look at the year from three different perspectives. The calendar year, of course, goes from January 1 to December 31, and forms the foundation of our time management. Businesspeople and corporations often may work based on a fiscal year, defined by Tax Day, April 15. This season, though, early September, marks yet another yearly delineation, perhaps the most powerful and deep-seated for many of us -- the beginning of the school year. The onset of school is a societal anchor for all children, and since we were all children, the first days of school signal settling back into routines, optimism for progress educationally and socially, and a willingness on the part of all concerned to consider and assimilate new ideas, positive attitudes, and fresh outlooks. That makes September a perfect time to promote yourself and your practice. Many states have already passed laws requiring school kids to get a spinal screening for scoliosis, and in most cases these exams are performed by well-meaning but undertrained school personnel, simply because no one has stepped forward to run the process. Contact your school officials in whatever way works in your community -- whether through the PTA or the School Board or a sympathetic school nurse or doctor, or through the political machine, there's always a way to get to the people who make decisions about stuff like this and get your foot in the door. Be persistent, and loving, and congruent in your desire to be of value to the children, and you'll get it done. At the start of school, teachers perceive that they have plenty of time in their lesson plans, so this is a great time to schedule talks at your kids' science and health classes. Make a fun, interactive presentation that grabs their interest about the way the body, especially the nerve system, really works. No need to get too heavy -- their natural curiosity tends to make these programs big winners. Use visual aids, like Visual Odyssey Neuropatholators, Power Point programs, model spines, or even posture analyzers. If you really want to flip the class out, you can bring a Subluxation Station and scan the teacher -- the kids will go crazy, and talk about it for weeks. Probably the most extensive organized promotion in chiropractic on behalf of children is Kids Day, spearheaded by Drs. Stu and Teri Warner. Through this twice a year event, coming up on September 23, over a million children have been screened, certainly the most focused effort of its kind to date, and one which I wholeheartedly support. One creative chiropractor I know wrote and performed an original rap song about health for his kid's class, to a thunderous ovation. Use your imagination, and come up with cool stuff to integrate more children into your practice. At this time of year, both the kids and the parents will be responsive, so take your best shot.